Submillimeter measurement of stratospheric chlorine monoxide

The measurement of the ClO concentration in the stratosphere provides crucial information on the mechanism for ozone depletion by catalytic reactions involving chlorine. Two rotational transitions of ClO, J = 35/2 - 33/2 and J = 37/2 - 35/2 have been identified in balloon-borne high-resolution spectra of the stratospheric emission in the submillimeter region. The measurements provide information on the ClO concentration at altitudes around 28 km. In the case of afternoon measurements obtained in April 1979, a scaling factor of 0.85 (+0.67, -0.64) is observed, and in the case of afternoon and early morning measurements obtained in October 1982, a scaling factor of 0.88 (+0.18, -0.08) is observed.