Spectroscopic studies of model polar stratospheric cloud films

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has been used to study nitric-acid/ice films representative of type I polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). These studies reveal that in addition to amorphous nitric acid/ice mixtures, there are three stable stoichiometric hydrates of nitric acid: nitric-acid monohydrate (NAM), dihydrate (NAD), and trihydrate (NAT). We also observe two distinct crystalline forms of the trihydrate, which we denote alpha- and beta-NAT. These two forms appear to differ in their concentration of crystalline defects, but not in their chemical composition. In addition to probing the composition of type I PSCs, we have also used FTIR spectroscopy to study the interaction of HCl with model PSC films. In this work we find that for HCl pressures in the range 10 exp -5 to 10 exp -7 Torr, HCl is taken up by ice at 155 K to form a thin layer of HCl.6H2O. At 193 K, the uptake of HCl by ice was consistent with less than or equal to monolayer coverage. Uptake of HCl by alpha and beta-NAT at 175 K was also consistent with less than or equal to monolayer coverage.