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Stratospheric NO2 and upper limits of CH3Cl and C2H6 from measurements at 3.4 µm

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.

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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

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