Chlorine monoxide in the Antarctic spring vortex 1. Evolution of midday vertical profiles over McMurdo Station, 1993

We have obtained a prolonged record of emission spectra from chlorine monoxide in the vicinity of McMurdo Station, Antarctica, during formation of the austral spring ozone hole of 1993. These spectra have been processed to obtain vertical mixing ratio profiles by deconvolution of pressure-broadened line shapes. The resulting profiles give a detailed evolution for both altitude distribution and mixing ratio of ClO during development of a major ozone hole event. The findings of initially large values of ClO well above 20 km are consistent with observation of polar stratospheric cloud formation in this range during the austral winter of 1993, and with observations showing increased ozone depletion above 20 km relative to previous years. -from Authors

Duke Scholars

Author Drew Todd Shindell Earth and Climate Sciences