Nocturnal vertical distribution of stratospheric O₃, NO₂ and NO₃ from balloon measurements

Abstract

Simultaneous measurements of NO2, O3, NO3, and aerosol extinction coefficient vertical distribution have been made in the middle of the night by the AMON (Absorption par Minoritaires Ozone et Nox) instrument on October 16, 1993, from a balloon platform at float altitude, above Aire sur l'Adour in the south of France. Amon measures atmospheric transmission in the UV Visible range, using the star occultation method. Vertical distributions, obtained between 20 and 40 km, are calculated by a tangent ray inversion technique. Measurements of NO and NO2 by the HALOE (HALogen Occultation Experiment) instrument aboard UARS were also available on October 17, 1993, close to Aire sur l'Adour. Comparison with box model simulations, including heterogeneous reactions, shows that while an increase of NO3 concentration at 38 km could be explained by an occasionally steep vertical gradient of temperature concentrations, another increase of both NO2 and NO3 measured by AMON between 22 to 25 km, i.e. in the upper part of the aerosol layer, cannot be explained by the model. Such an increase is also present on one HALOE profile close to Aire sur l'Adour, for the same altitude range.

Measurements and simulation of stratospheric NO3 at mid and high latitudes in the northern hemisphere

“…The description of the NO3 retrieval from balloonborne measurements is given by Renard et al [1996Renard et al [ , 1999aRenard et al [ , 2000. Nevertheless, some specific points will be discussed here.…”

Technical Note: Validation of Odin/SMR limb observations of ozone, comparisons with OSIRIS, POAM III, ground-based and balloon-borne instruments

“…Averages and standard deviations (number in brackets) of the absolute difference (Odin-balloon (ppmv)) are given over the two height ranges 10-35 km and 35-60 km. (Renard et al,1996(Renard et al, , 2000(Renard et al, , 2007. These experiments measure O 3 , NO 2 , NO 3 , and OClO vertical profiles and aerosol extinction coefficients, between 15 and 40 km.…”

Validation of MIPAS-ENVISAT NO<sub>2</sub> operational data

“…Stratospheric NO 2 measurements have been carried out since the 1970s from a variety of airborne and ground-based platforms using in-situ and remote sensing techniques (e.g., Noxon et al, 1979;Coffey et al, 1981;Kondo et al, 1985;Roscoe et al, 1986;Pommereau and Goutail, 1988;Webster et al, 1990;Pfeilsticker and Platt, 1994;Chance et al, 1996;Renard et al, 1996;Wetzel et al, 1997;Sen et al, 1998;Payan et al, 1999).…”