Measurements of nitric oxide and total reactive nitrogen in the Antarctic stratosphere: Observations and chemical implications

Measurements of NO and the sum of reactive nitrogen species, NOy, were made as part of the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment (AAOE) on flights of the NASA ER-2 aircraft over the Antarctic continent. Reactive nitrogen species include NO,NO2, NO3, N2O5, HNO3, and ClONO2. The technique utilized the conversion of NOy components to NO on a gold catalyst and the subsequent detection of NO by the chemiluminescent reaction of NO with O3. NO was measured on two of the flights by removing the catalyst from the sample line. The boundary of a chemically perturbed region (CPR) above the continent occurred on average near 66 degree S as indicated by a sharp increase in the level of ClO. Outside or equatorward of the CPR, NOy mixing ratios ranged between 6 and 12 parts per billion by volume (ppbv), with values increasing with latitude. At the edge of the CPR, large latitude gradients of NOyand NO were found with values decreasing poleward. Total NOy levels dropped to 4 ppbv or less within 5 degree poleward of the boundary. NO values were 0.1-0.2 ppbv outside and below the detection limit of 0.03 ppbv inside the CPR. The levels of NO and NOy observed preclude a chemical loss of ozone due to reaction with NO