Ozone precursors and ozone photochemistry over eastern North Pacific during the spring of 1984 based on the NASA GTE/CITE 1 airborne observations

Simultaneous, high-resolution measurements of O3, NO, CO, dew point temperature, and UV flux obtained during the NASA Global Tropospheric Experiment Chemical Instrumentation Test and Evaluation (GTE/CITE 1) spring 1984 airborne field exercise over the eastern North Pacific Ocean are analyzed. Mid-tropospheric CO, O3, and NO mixing ratios averaged about 120 ppbv, 50 ppbv, and 10 pptv, respectively. Modeling calculations based on these average levels imply that from the surface to about 8 km, photochemical reactions probably supplied a net sink of ozone to the region overlying the eastern North Pacific Ocean during the sampling period. However, because the NO levels measured near the detection limit of the instruments and because our results are very sensitive to the absolute NO levels and their temporal variability, our conclusion must be considered provisional. -from Authors

Duke Scholars

Author William Chameides Earth and Climate Sciences