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http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/1849/2007/acpd-7-1849-2007.pdf
1849
1876
2007-02-05
In-situ observations and modeling of nitric acid-containing particles in a cirrus cloud formation region
C. Voigt
christiane.voigt@dlr.de
B. Kärcher
H. Schlager
C. Schiller
M. Krämer
M. de Reus
H. Vössing
S. Borrmann
V. Mitev
Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, DLR Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Institut für Chemie und Dynamik der Geosphäre, FZ Jülich, Jülich, Germany
Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, Universität Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie, Abteilung Wolkenphysik, Mainz, Germany
Observatory of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Measurements in nascent ice forming regions are very rare and help
understand cirrus cloud formation and the interactions of trace
gases with ice crystals. A cirrus cloud has very likely been probed
in its formation stage with in-situ and remote sensing instruments
onboard the high altitude research aircraft Geophysica M55 in the
tropical upper troposphere. Besides microphysical and optical
particle properties, water (H<sub>2</sub>O) and nitric acid (HNO<sub>3</sub>) have
been measured. In slightly ice supersaturated air between 14.2 and 15 km altitude, an unusually low ice water content of
0.026 mg m<sup>–3</sup> and small ice crystals with mean radii of
5 μm have been detected. A high HNO<sub>3</sub>/H<sub>2</sub>O molar
ratio in ice of 5×10<sup>–5</sup> has been observed in this region,
about an order of magnitude higher compared to previous observations
in cirrus at similar temperatures (near 202 K). A model describing
the trapping of HNO<sub>3</sub> in growing ice particles shows that a
high HNO<sub>3</sub> content in ice crystals is expected during early
growth stages, mainly originating from uptake in aerosol particles
prior to freezing. Water vapor deposition on ice crystals and
trapping of additional HNO<sub>3</sub> reduces the molar ratio to
values close to the ratio of HNO<sub>3</sub>/H<sub>2</sub>O in the gas phase while
the cloud ages.
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