Freezing temperatures of H2SO4/HNO3/H2O mixtures: Implications for polar stratospheric clouds

The freezing temperatures of H2SO4/HNO3/H2O mixtures were systematically documented. Nitric acid was found to affect freezing significantly. Measurements show that nitric acid can cause substantial supercooling over a broad composition range. However, some ternary compositions, like to those in polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs), have high freezing temperatures. The freezing of PSC particles could be controlled by the temperature and vapor pressure of both nitric acid and water in a non-linear way. Formation of polar stratospheric clouds may be forecasted on the basic of conditions of temperature and vapor contents of water and nitric acid.