In situ observations of BrO over Antarctica: ER-2 aircraft results from 54 S to 72 S latitude

Abstract

Bromine monoxide was observed in situ at approximately 18 km altitude during nine flights of the NASA ER-2 aircraft from Punta Arenas, Chile (54 altitude) to 72 S latitude over the Palmer Peninsula, Antarctica. The first flight for the BrO detection system was on 28 August. Here, the results from the flights over Antarctica and from the ferry flights from Punta Arenas to Moffett Field, CA (37 N latitude are reported. A key question concerning BrO, then, is how it is distributed with respect to the chemical containment vessel defined by elevated ClO mixing ratios. This question is answered with greatest statistical significance if the data are averaged into five regions: outside the vessel, aircraft heading south; inside the vessel on the same potential temperature surface; in the dive region; inside the vessel on a given potential temperature surface, aircraft heading north; and outside the vessel on the same surface. The result is that the BrO distribution inside the chemical containment vessel was different from that found outside. Inside, the BrO mixing ratio was (5.0 plus or minus 1.1) pptv between the 400 K and 460 K potential temperature surfaces, decreasing only slightly with potential temperature, and was less than 3.6 pptv below the 4 00 K surface. The abundance of BrO inside the chemical containment vessel showed no discernible temporal trend during the course of the nine flights. Outside the vessel, the BrO mixing ratio was (4.7 plus or minus 1.3) pptv near the 450 K surface, but decreased to (2.8 plus or minus 1.0) pptv near the 420 K surface