Abstract
Quantitative infrared measurements of ethane (C2H6) in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere are reported. The results have been obtained from the analysis of absorption features of the υ9 band at 12.2 μm, which have been identified in high-resolution ballon-borne and aircraft solar absorption spectra. The ballon-borne spectral data were recorded at sunset with the 0.02 cm-1 resolution University of Denver interferometer system from a float altitude of 33.5 km near Alamogordo, New Mexico, on 23 March 1981. The aircraft spectra were recorded at sunset in July 1978 with a 0.06 cm-1 resolution interferometer aboard a jet aircraft at 12 km altitude, near 35°N, 96°W. The balloon analysis indicates the C2H6 mixing ratio decreased from 3.5 ppbv near 8.8 km to 0.91 ppbv near 12.1 km. The results are consistent with the colum value obtained from the aircraft data.
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Goldman, A., Rinsland, C.P., Murcray, F.J. et al. Ballon-borne and aircraft infrared measurements of ethane (C2H6) in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. J Atmos Chem 2, 211–221 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00114133
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00114133