Abstract
Measurements of stratospheric minor constituent gas concentrations are important, for the elucidation of the complex chemistry and the evaluation of the predictions presented by theoretical models regarding the short and long term future of this important atmospheric region. We report here high resolution absorption spectra that have been obtained from a balloon-borne platform in the 3.4-µm spectral region, a region which contains bands due to several atmospheric constituent gas species including methane (CH4), hydrochloric acid (HCl), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), methyl chloride (CH3Cl) and ethane (C2H6). From analysis of the atmospheric spectra obtained during sunset, mixing ratio versus altitude profiles have been obtained for HCl (which will be reported elsewhere) and NO2, and upper limits have been obtained for the lower stratospheric mixing ratios of CH3Cl and C2H6.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Rent or buy this article
Get just this article for as long as you need it
$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Dana, V. & Maillard, J. P. J. molec. Spectrosc. 71, 1–14 (1978).
Perrin, A., Flaud, J.-M. & Camy-Peyret, C. Infrared Phys. 22, 343–348 (1982).
Morillon-Chapey, M. & Graner, G. J. molec. Spectrosc. 31, 155–169 (1969).
Cole, A. R. H., Cross, J. H., Cugley, J. A. & Heise, H. M. J. molec. Spectrosc. 83, 233–244 (1980).
Toth, R. A., Brown, L. R., Hunt, R. H. & Rothman, L. S. Appl. Opt. 20, 932–935 (1981).
Park, J. H. et al. Atlas of Absorption Lines From 0 to 17900 cm−1 (NASA Ref. Publ. 1084, 1981).
Traub, W. A. & Stier, M. T. Appl. Opt. 15, 364–377 (1976).
Murcray, D. G. & Goldman, A. (eds) CRC Handbook of High Resolution Infrared Laboratory Spectra of Atmospheric Interest (CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, 1981).
Ackerman, M. & Muller, C. Nature 240, 300–301 (1972).
Camy-Peyret, C., Flaud, J.-M., Laurent, J. & Stokes, G. M. Geophys. Res. Lett. 10, 35–38 (1983).
Ackerman, M. et al. Planet. Space Sci. 23, 651–660 (1975).
Fontanella, J.-C., Girard, A., Gramont, L. & Louisnard, N. Appl. Opt. 14, 825–839 (1975).
Niple, E., Mankin, W. G., Goldman, A., Murcray, D. G. & Murcray, F. J. Geophys. Res. Lett. 7, 489–492 (1980).
Blatherwick, R. D. et al. Geophys. Res. Lett. 7, 471–473 (1980).
Kerr, J. B. & McElroy, C. T. Atmosphere 14, 166–171 (1976).
Goldman, A., Fernald, F. G., Williams, W. J. & Murcray, D. G. Geophys. Res. Lett. 5, 257–260 (1978).
Evans, W. F. J. et al. WMO Symp. on the Geophysical Aspects and Consequences of Changes in the Composition of the Stratosphere 55–59 (WMO No. 511, 1978).
Kerr, J. B., McElroy, C. T. & Evans, W. F. J. Can. J. Phys. 60, 196–200 (1982).
Toth, R. A. & Hunt, R. H. J. molec. Spectrosc. 79, 182–202 (1980).
Goldman, A. & Saunders, R. S. J. quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf. 21, 155–161 (1979).
Roscoe, H. K., Drummond, J. R. & Jarnot, R. F. Proc. R. Soc. A375, 507–528 (1981).
Miller, C., Filkin, D. L., Owens, A. J., Steed, J. M. & Jesson, J. P. J. geophys. Res. 86, 12039–12065 (1981).
Noxon, J. F. J. geophys. Res. 84, 5067–5076 (1979); 85, 4560–4561 (1980).
Coffey, M. T., Mankin, W. G. & Goldman, A. J. geophys. Res. 86, 7331–7341 (1981).
Margolis, J. S. & Toth, R. A. J. molec. Spectrosc. 66, 30–34 (1977); 68, 171 (1977).
Dang-Nhu, M., Morillon-Chapey, M., Graner, G. & Guelachvili, G. J. quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf. 26, 515–521 (1981).
Penkett, S. A., Derwent, R. G., Fabian, P., Borchers, R. & Schmidt, U. Nature 283, 58–60 (1980).
Fabian, P., Borchers, R., Penkett, S. A. & Prosser, N. J. D. Nature 294, 733–735 (1981).
Rudolph, J., Ehhalt, D. H. & Tonnissen, A. J. geophys. Res. 86, 7267–7272 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kendall, D., Buijs, H. Stratospheric NO2 and upper limits of CH3Cl and C2H6 from measurements at 3.4 µm. Nature 303, 221–222 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/303221a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/303221a0
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.