Measured Fluxes of nitrous acid at Browning Pass, Antarctica were very low, despite conditions that are generally understood as favorable for HONO emissions, including: acidic snow surfaces, an abundance of NO₃^− anions in the snow surface, and abundant UV light for NO₃^− photolysis. Photochemical modeling suggests noon time HONO fluxes of 5–10 nmol m^−2 h^−1; the measured fluxes, however, were close to zero throughout the campaign. The analysis of soluble mineral ions in snow reveals that the NO₃^− ion is probably present in aged snows as NaNO₃. This is peculiar to our study site, and we suggest that this may affect the photochemical reactivity of NO₃^−, by preventing the release of products, or providing a reactive medium for newly formed HONO. In fresh snow, the NO₃^− ion is probably present as dissolved or adsorbed HNO₃ and yet, no HONO emissions were observed. We speculate that HONO formation from NO₃^− photolysis may involve electron transfer reactions of NO₂ from photosensitized organics and that fresh snows at our site had insufficient concentrations of adequate organic compounds to favor this reaction.