Large particles containing nitric acid (HNO3) were observed in the 1999/2000 Arctic winter stratosphere. These in situ observations were made over a large altitude range (16 to 21 kilometers) and horizontal extent (1800 kilometers) on several airborne sampling flights during a period of several weeks. With diameters of 10 to 20 micrometers, these sedimenting particles have significant potential to denitrify the lower stratosphere. A microphysical model of nitric acid trihydrate particles is able to simulate the growth and sedimentation of these large sizes in the lower stratosphere, but the nucleation process is not yet known. Accurate modeling of the formation of these large particles is essential for understanding Arctic denitrification and predicting future Arctic ozone abundances.

This paper describes the design and performance of a photoacoustic aerosol absorption spectrometer (PAS) built for operation on a research aircraft platform. The PAS instrument is capable of measuring dry absorption at 659 nm, 532 nm, and 404 nm, and absorption enhancement due to coatings at 532 nm and 404 nm. The measurement accuracy for all channels is < = 10% and inflight 1 Hz sensitivities lie within the range of 0.5-1.5 Mm −1 . PAS measurements of calibrated absorbing aerosol samples are shown to be consistent with measurements made by a previous generation single channel photo-acoustic instrument. Aircraft data collected during a recent field campaign in California are used to demonstrate the capabilities of the PAS. In combination with an aircraft cavity ring down aerosol extinction spectrometer described in a companion paper, the new PAS instrument provides a sensitive airborne in-situ characterization of aerosol optics.

This article describes a cavity ring-down spectrometer (CaRDS) specifically designed and constructed for installation on the NOAA WP-3D Orion (P-3) aircraft for sensitive, rapid in situ measurement of NO3 and N2O5. While similar to our previously described CaRDS instrument, this instrument has significant improvements in the signal-to-noise ratio, the time resolution, and in overall size and weight. Additionally, the instrument utilizes a custom-built, automated filter changer that was designed and constructed to meet the requirement for removal of particulate matter in the airflow while allowing fully autonomous instrument operation. The CaRDS instrument has a laboratory detection sensitivity of 4×10−11cm−1 in absorbance or 0.1pptv (pptv denotes parts per trillion volume) of NO3 in a 1s average, although the typical detection sensitivities encountered in the field were 0.5pptv for NO3 and 1pptv for N2O5. The instrument accuracy is 25% for NO3 and 20%–40% for N2O5, limited mainly by the uncertainty in the inlet transmission. The instrument has been deployed on the P-3 aircraft as part of a major field campaign in the summer of 2004 and during several ground and tower deployments near Boulder, CO.

Various types of ozone detectors are currently in use, each with different advantages and compromises in response time, portability, sensitivity, accuracy, need for repeated calibration, and expense. We describe here a new dual-beam UV-absorption instrument for balloon-borne measurements of atmospheric ozone. It has two identical absorption chambers, each alternating between reference mode (ozone free) and sample mode by means of a four-port valve and ozone scrubber. The ratio of the absorption signals, along with the known lengths and ozone absorption cross section, yield the ozone concentration. The dual-beam feature cancels the effects of lamp intensity fluctuations, while the mode alternation compensates for mechanical changes and also provides continuous measurements. The absorption measurement requires no calibration and, hence, is independent of gas flow rate. The response time is 1 s and, for this measurement duration, the minimum ozone concentration detectable by this instrument (one standard deviation) is 1.5×1010 molecules/cm3 (0.6 ppbv at STP). The overall uncertainty of a 1-s measurement at the ozone maximum (22 km) is 3.6%, where 2% of this is the accuracy of the ozone cross section. The size and weight are suitable for launch by small balloons, but the cost of the instrument precludes its use as a disposable unit.

A new instrument, the Airborne Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species IV (ACATS‐IV), for measuring long‐lived species in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere is described. Using an advanced approach to gas chromatography and electron capture detection, the instrument can detect low levels of CFC‐11 (CCl3F), CFC‐12 (CCl2F2), CFC‐113 (CCl2F‐CClF2), methyl chloroform (CH3CCl3), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), nitrous oxide (N2O), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), Halon‐1211 (CBrClF2), hydrogen (H2), and methane (CH4) acquired in ambient samples every 180 or 360 s. The instrument operates fully‐automated onboard the NASA ER‐2 high‐altitude aircraft on flights lasting up to 8 hours or more in duration. Recent measurements include 24 successful flights covering a broad latitude range (70°S–61°N) during the Airborne Southern Hemisphere Ozone Experiment/Measurements for Assessing the Effects of Stratospheric Aircraft (ASHOE/MAESA) campaign in 1994.