Balloon-Borne Measurements of CLO, NO and O3 in a Volcanic Cloud: An Analysis of Heterogeneous Chemistry between 20 and 30 KM

Balloon profiles of chlorine monoxide (ClO), nitric oxide (NO), and ozone (O3) were measured on March 11, 1992 from 100 to 10 mb over Greenland (67.0 deg N, 50.6 deg W). Measurements from SAGE II indicate that the aerosol surface area in the region was enhanced by sulfur from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, reaching 50 times background near 20 km. Concentrations of ClO were enhanced and concentrations of NO were suppressed relative to low aerosol conditions consistent with the effects of hydrolysis of N2O5 on the surface of sulfuric acid aerosols. The data are consistent with a value of 2 x 10(exp -4) for the reaction probability of the heterogeneous hydrolysis of ClONO2, indicating a minor role for this reaction at a temperature of 220 K. At these temperatures, we find no evidence for the catastrophic loss of ozone predicted to occur under conditions of enhanced aerosol surface area.