Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Stratospheric Water Vapour Increase due to Human Activities

Abstract

GREAT interest has been aroused by the possibility that a fleet of supersonic transports (SST) flying in the stratosphere would deposit sufficient water vapour to increase the average global concentration by about 7%, from 3 p.p.m. to 3.2 p.p.m. (ref. 1). The injection of this water vapour would result in a small decrease in stratospheric temperature according to Manabe and Wetherald2,3. Perhaps more significantly, it could decrease the concentration of ozone in the lower stratosphere through a series of photochemical reactions4–9.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Man's Impact on the Global Environment: Assessment and Recommendations for Action, Report of the Study of Critical Environmental Problems, 73 (MIT Press, Cambridge, 1970).

  2. Manabe, S., and Weatherald, R. T., J. Atmos. Sci., 24, 241 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Manabe, S., Science, 169, 534 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hunt, B. G., J. Atmos. Sci., 23, 88 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hunt, B. G., J. Geophys. Res., 71, 1385 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Leovy, C. B., J. Geophys. Res., 74, 417 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Harrison, H., Science, 170, 734 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. McGrath, W., and Norrish, R., Proc. Roy. Soc., A, 254, 839 (1960).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. London, J., and Park, J., in Man's Impact on the Global Environment: Assessment and Recommendations for Action Report of the Study of Critical Environmental Problems, 73 (MIT Press, Cambridge, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  10. McDonald, J. E., Congressional Record, S3904, March 12, 1971.

  11. Ehhalt, D. H., J. Air Poll. Control Assoc., 17, 518 (1967).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Junge, C. E., Air Chemistry and Radioactivity, International Geophysical Series (edit. by Van Miegham), 4 (Academic Press, New York, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Reiter, E. R., Atmospheric Transport Processes, Part 2, TID 25314 (Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, 1971).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Koyama, T., J. Geophys. Res., 63, 3971 (1963).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Robinson, E., and Robbins, R. C., Sources, Abundance and Fate of Gaseous Atmospheric Pollutants (Stanford Research Institute, 1968) (prepared for American Petroleum Institute, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Rasmussen, R. A., and Went, F. W., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 53, 215 (1965).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Stephens, D. R., and Burleson, F. R., 62nd Annual Meeting, Air Pollution Control Association (June 22 to 26, 1969).

  18. Cavanaugh, L. A., Schadt, C. F., and Robinson, E., Environ. Sci. Technol., 3, 251 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Swinnerton, J. W., Linnenbom, V. J., and Cheek, C. H., Environ. Sci. Technol., 3, 836 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Bainbridge, A. E., and Heidt, L. E., Tellus, 18, 221 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Kyle, T. G., Murcray, D. G., Murcray, F. H., and Williams, W. J., J. Geophys. Res., 74, 3421 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Scholz, T. G., Ehhalt, D. H., Heidt, L. E., and Martell, E. A., J. Geophys. Res., 75, 3049 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Reed, R. J., and German, K. E., Mon. Weather Rev., 93, 316 (1965).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Chatham, G. N., and Huddle, F. P., The Supersonic Transport, Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service (71-78 SP) (February 26, 1971).

  25. Daniels, G. M., Astronautics and Aeronautics, 8, 22 (1970).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Newell, R. E., Nature, 226, 70 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Cadle, R. D., and Powers, J. W., Tellus, 18, 176 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Robinson, E., and Robbins, R. C., in Global Effects of Environmental Pollution (edit. by Singer, S. F.), 50 (Reidel, Dordrecht, and Springer-Verlag, New York, 1970).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  29. Jaffee, L. S., ibid., 34.

  30. Johnston, H., Science, August 6, 1971.

  31. Lateef, M. A., Mon. Weather Rev., 96, 286 (1968).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. Reed, R. J., and Vlcek, C. L., J. Atmos. Sci., 26, 163 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  33. ZoBell, C. E., Advan. Enzymol., 10, 443 (1950).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Inman, R. E., Ingersoll, R. B., and Levy, E. A., Science, 172, 1229 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Abeles, F. B., Craker, L. E., Forrence, L. E., and Leather, G. R., Science, 173, 914 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

SINGER, S. Stratospheric Water Vapour Increase due to Human Activities. Nature 233, 543–545 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/233543a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/233543a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing