The 1985 chlorine and fluorine inventories in the stratosphere based on ATMOS observations at 30 deg North latitude

Results are presented of an investigation of the Cl and F inventories derived from the concentrations of eleven Cl- and F-bearing organic and inorganic species throughout the atmosphere, based on observations with the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy instrument aboard the Space Shuttle during the Spacelab 3 mission of April 29 to May 6, 1985. It was found that, in April-May 1985, near 30 deg N, the mean total stratospheric concentrations of Cl and F were 2.58 +/-0.10 ppbv and 1.15 +/-0.12 ppbv, respectively. Partitioning among the source, sink, and reservoir species was consistent with the conservation of the F and Cl budgets throughout the stratosphere. It is shown that the budgets of Cl and F above about 45 km altitude can be determined accurately by measuring only HCl, HF, and CF4 and provide a straightforward timely reference point for future inventories and trends evaluations.