Geophysical Research Letters · 1978 · 57 citations · 15 references
Natural SciencesEarth SciencesAir PollutionAtmospheric ChemistryAtmospheric ScienceAir Pollution ChemistryAtmospheric Boundary LayerAtmospheric Trace GasesMarine Atmospheric ChemistryParticulate MatterTropospheric ChemistryLimited Data SetsMarine Boundary Layer ChemistryNitrate AerosolsRemote Tropospheric ChemistryTropospheric CompositionTropospheric Trace GasesUrban Boundary Layer Chemistry
Measurements of HNO 3 vapor and particulate NO 3 − were made over continental and marine areas, at altitudes from .2 to 7 km, as a part of Project Gametag. HNO 3 vapor was found to be as common over marine areas, far from anthropogenic sources of NO x , as over remote continental regions, ranging from < .02 to .3 ppbv. Urban influenced continental values ranged from .3 to .86 ppbv. Comparable HNO 3 was found both above and within the boundary layer, in contrast to theoretical predictions of a negative HNO 3 gradient with altitude. In many regions of the troposphere there was more HNO 3 vapor than participate NO 3 − , although the reverse is true in the marine boundary layer, where it appears that heterogeneous chemistry converts HNO 3 and Cl − to HCl and particulate NO 3 − . This rather limited data set suggests an HNO 3 lifetime on the order of a few days.
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