Slow Molecules Produced by Photodissociation

A simple method to control molecular translation with a chemical reaction is demonstrated. Slow NO molecules have been produced by partially canceling the molecular beam velocity of NO$_2$ with the recoil velocity of the NO photofragment. The NO$_2$ molecules were photodissociated using a UV laser pulse polarized parallel to the molecular beam. The spatial profiles of NO molecules showed two peaks corresponding to decelerated and accelerated molecules, in agreement with theoretical prediction. A significant portion of the decelerated NO molecules stayed around the initial dissociation positions even several hundred nanoseconds after their production.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figure

Speech Communication

Contains reports on five research projects.C.J. Lebel FellowshipNational Institutes of Health (Grant 5 T32 NS07040)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 R01 NS04332)National Science Foundation (Grant 1ST 80-17599)U.S. Navy - Naval Electronic Systems Command Contract (N00039-85-C-0254)U.S. Navy - Naval Electronic Systems Command Contract (N00039-85-C-0341)U.S. Navy - Naval Electronic Systems Command Contract (N00039-85-C-0290

Speech Communication

Contains reports on five research projects.C.J. Lebel FellowshipNational Institutes of Health (Grant 5 T32 NSO7040)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 R01 NS04332)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 R01 NS21183)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 P01 NS13126)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 PO1-NS23734)National Science Foundation (Grant BNS 8418733)U.S. Navy - Naval Electronic Systems Command (Contract N00039-85-C-0254)U.S. Navy - Naval Electronic Systems Command (Contract N00039-85-C-0341)U.S. Navy - Naval Electronic Systems Command (Contract N00039-85-C-0290)National Institutes of Health (Grant RO1-NS21183), subcontract with Boston UniversityNational Institutes of Health (Grant 1 PO1-NS23734), subcontract with the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmar

Ozone trends derived from the total column and vertical profiles at a northern mid-latitude station

The trends and variability of ozone are assessed over a northern mid-latitude station, Haute-Provence Observatory (OHP - 43.93° N, 5.71° E), using total column ozone observations from the Dobson and Système d'Analyse par Observation Zénithale spectrometers, and stratospheric ozone profile measurements from Light detection and ranging, ozonesondes, Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II, Halogen Occultation Experiment and Aura Microwave Limb Sounder. A multi-variate regression model with quasi biennial oscillation (QBO), solar flux, aerosol optical thickness, heat flux, North Atlantic oscillation (NAO) and piecewise linear trend (PWLT) or Equivalent Effective Stratospheric Chlorine (EESC) functions is applied to the ozone anomalies. The maximum variability of ozone in winter/spring is explained by QBO and heat flux in 15-45 km and in 15-24 km, respectively. The NAO shows maximum influence in the lower stratosphere during winter while the solar flux influence is largest in the lower and middle stratosphere in summer. The total column ozone trends estimated from the PWLT and EESC functions are of −1.39±0.26 and −1.40±0.25 DU yr−1, respectively over 1984-1996 and about 0.65±0.32 and 0.42±0.08 DU yr−1, respectively over 1997-2010. The ozone profiles yield similar and significant EESC-based and PWLT trends in 1984-1996 and are about −0.5 and −0.8 % yr−1 in the lower and upper stratosphere, respectively. In 1997-2010, the EESC-based and PWLT trends are significant and of order 0.3 and 0.1 % yr−1, respectively in the 18-28 km range, and at 40-45 km, EESC provides significant ozone trends larger than the insignificant PWLT results. Therefore, this analysis unveils ozone recovery signals from total column ozone and profile measurements at OHP, and hence in the mid-latitudes