Abstract
Heterogeneous reactions on polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) have been implicated recently in Arctic and Antarctic ozone loss. The most important heterogeneous process on PSCs is thought to be reaction (1) C1ONO2 + HC1 → C12 + HNO3 (1) This reaction converts reservoir chlorine (C1ONO2, HC1 into a photochemically active form (C12). Upon photolysis of C12, chlorine radicals are released to participate in catalytic ozone destruction cycles. Laboratory, field, and modeling studies have all provided strong evidence supporting the importance of this reaction in promoting polar ozone loss. Although the occurrence of heterogeneous chemistry is well established, there are still uncertainties regarding the chemical composition of the PSCs. Knowledge of the PSC composition is important for predicting both the cloud formation frequency and the rates of subsequent heterogeneous reactions on PSCs.
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© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Tolbert, M.A., Middlebrook, A.M., Koehler, B.G. (1994). Spectroscopic Studies of PSCs. In: Moortgat, G.K., Barnes, A.J., Le Bras, G., Sodeau, J.R. (eds) Low-Temperature Chemistry of the Atmosphere. NATO ASI Series, vol 21. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79063-8_15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79063-8_15
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