Variability of NO<sub>x</sub> in the polar middle atmosphere from October 2003 to March 2004: vertical transport vs. local production by energetic particles
We use NO, NO<sub>2</sub> and CO from MIPAS/ENVISAT to investigate the impact of energetic particle precipitation onto the NO<sub>x</sub> budget from the stratosphere to the lower mesosphere in the period from October 2003 to March 2004, a time of high solar and geomagnetic a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2014-07-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/14/7681/2014/acp-14-7681-2014.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819259950596096000 |
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| author | M. Sinnhuber B. Funke T. von Clarmann M. Lopez-Puertas G. P. Stiller A. Seppälä |
| author_facet | M. Sinnhuber B. Funke T. von Clarmann M. Lopez-Puertas G. P. Stiller A. Seppälä |
| author_sort | M. Sinnhuber |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We use NO, NO<sub>2</sub> and CO from MIPAS/ENVISAT to investigate the impact of
energetic particle precipitation onto the NO<sub>x</sub> budget from the
stratosphere to the lower mesosphere in the period from October 2003 to March
2004, a time of high solar and geomagnetic activity. We find that in the
winter hemisphere the indirect effect of auroral electron precipitation due
to downwelling of upper mesospheric/lower thermospheric air into the
stratosphere prevails. Its effect exceeds even the direct impact of the very
large solar proton event in October/November 2003 by nearly 1 order of
magnitude. Correlations of NO<sub>x</sub> and CO show that the unprecedented
high NO<sub>x</sub> values observed in the Northern Hemisphere lower
mesosphere and upper stratosphere in late January and early February are
fully consistent with transport from the upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere
and subsequent mixing at lower altitudes. In the polar summer Southern
Hemisphere, we observed an enhanced variability of NO and NO<sub>2</sub> on days with
enhanced geomagnetic activity, but this seems to indicate enhanced instrument
noise rather than a direct increase due to electron precipitation. A direct
effect of electron precipitation onto NO<sub>x</sub> can not be ruled out,
but, if any, it is lower than 3 ppbv in the altitude range 40–56 km and
lower than 6 ppbv in the altitude range 56–64 km. An additional
significant source of NO<sub>x</sub> due to local production by
precipitating electrons below 70 km exceeding several parts per billion as
discussed in previous publications appears unlikely. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T19:18:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e7105ec5dbff4e39bef0fc01ef1bf806 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T19:18:09Z |
| publishDate | 2014-07-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-e7105ec5dbff4e39bef0fc01ef1bf8062022-12-21T17:34:15ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242014-07-0114147681769210.5194/acp-14-7681-2014Variability of NO<sub>x</sub> in the polar middle atmosphere from October 2003 to March 2004: vertical transport vs. local production by energetic particlesM. Sinnhuber0B. Funke1T. von Clarmann2M. Lopez-Puertas3G. P. Stiller4A. Seppälä5Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe, GermanyInstituto de Astrofìsica de Andalucìa, CSIC, Granada, SpainKarlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe, GermanyInstituto de Astrofìsica de Andalucìa, CSIC, Granada, SpainKarlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe, GermanyFinish Meteorological Institute FMI, Helsinki, FinlandWe use NO, NO<sub>2</sub> and CO from MIPAS/ENVISAT to investigate the impact of energetic particle precipitation onto the NO<sub>x</sub> budget from the stratosphere to the lower mesosphere in the period from October 2003 to March 2004, a time of high solar and geomagnetic activity. We find that in the winter hemisphere the indirect effect of auroral electron precipitation due to downwelling of upper mesospheric/lower thermospheric air into the stratosphere prevails. Its effect exceeds even the direct impact of the very large solar proton event in October/November 2003 by nearly 1 order of magnitude. Correlations of NO<sub>x</sub> and CO show that the unprecedented high NO<sub>x</sub> values observed in the Northern Hemisphere lower mesosphere and upper stratosphere in late January and early February are fully consistent with transport from the upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere and subsequent mixing at lower altitudes. In the polar summer Southern Hemisphere, we observed an enhanced variability of NO and NO<sub>2</sub> on days with enhanced geomagnetic activity, but this seems to indicate enhanced instrument noise rather than a direct increase due to electron precipitation. A direct effect of electron precipitation onto NO<sub>x</sub> can not be ruled out, but, if any, it is lower than 3 ppbv in the altitude range 40–56 km and lower than 6 ppbv in the altitude range 56–64 km. An additional significant source of NO<sub>x</sub> due to local production by precipitating electrons below 70 km exceeding several parts per billion as discussed in previous publications appears unlikely.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/14/7681/2014/acp-14-7681-2014.pdf |
| spellingShingle | M. Sinnhuber B. Funke T. von Clarmann M. Lopez-Puertas G. P. Stiller A. Seppälä Variability of NO<sub>x</sub> in the polar middle atmosphere from October 2003 to March 2004: vertical transport vs. local production by energetic particles Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Variability of NO<sub>x</sub> in the polar middle atmosphere from October 2003 to March 2004: vertical transport vs. local production by energetic particles |
| title_full | Variability of NO<sub>x</sub> in the polar middle atmosphere from October 2003 to March 2004: vertical transport vs. local production by energetic particles |
| title_fullStr | Variability of NO<sub>x</sub> in the polar middle atmosphere from October 2003 to March 2004: vertical transport vs. local production by energetic particles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Variability of NO<sub>x</sub> in the polar middle atmosphere from October 2003 to March 2004: vertical transport vs. local production by energetic particles |
| title_short | Variability of NO<sub>x</sub> in the polar middle atmosphere from October 2003 to March 2004: vertical transport vs. local production by energetic particles |
| title_sort | variability of no sub x sub in the polar middle atmosphere from october 2003 to march 2004 vertical transport vs local production by energetic particles |
| url | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/14/7681/2014/acp-14-7681-2014.pdf |
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