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Investigation of Polar Stratospheric Cloud Solid Particle Formation Mechanisms Using ILAS and AVHRR Observations in the ArcticSatellite observations of denitrification and ice clouds in the Arctic lower stratosphere in February 1997 are used with Lagrangian microphysical box model calculations to evaluate nucleation mechanisms of solid polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) particles. The occurrences of ice clouds are not correlated in time and space with the locations of back trajectories of denitrified air masses, indicating that ice particle surfaces are not always a prerequisite for the formation of solid PSCs that lead to denitrification. In contrast, the model calculations incorporating a pseudoheterogeneous freezing process occurring at the vapor-liquid interface can quantitatively explain most of the observed denitrification when the nucleation activation free energy for nitric acid dihydrate formation is raised by only approx.10% relative to the current published values. Once nucleated, the conversion of nitric acid dihydrate to the stable trihydrate phase brings the computed levels of denitrification closer to the measurements. INDEX TERMS: 0305 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801); 0320 Atmospheric Composition and Sb~lctureC: loud physics and chemistry; 0340 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Middle atmosphere-composition and chemistry
Document ID
20070025112
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Irie, H.
(Frontier Research System for Global Change Tokyo, Japan)
Pagan, K. L.
(San Francisco State Univ. CA, United States)
Tabazadeh, A.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Legg, M. J.
(Bay Area Environmental Research Inst. Sonoma , CA, United States)
Sugita, T.
(National Institute for Environmental Studies Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
August 10, 2004
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Volume: 31
Issue: L15107
Subject Category
Geophysics
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNA04CC40A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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