The MLS HNO₃ Product

Contact: Gloria Manney

Basic Information Nitric acid (HNO3) plays several pivotal roles in the processes controlling stratospheric ozone depletion. It is a key component of the polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) that form in the very low temperatures of polar winter, removing HNO3 from the gas phase. PSC particles provide surfaces on which heterogeneous chemical reactions occur, converting chlorine from its reservoir species (e.g., ClONO2, HCl) to the highly reactive forms that participate in the catalytic cycles of ozone destruction (e.g., ClO). On the other hand, photolysis of HNO3 vapor releases NO2, enabling a major pathway for the deactivation of chlorine, via the reformation of ClONO2 from ClO and NO2. If PSC particles grow large enough, then they can settle out of the lower stratosphere, carrying the HNO3 with them in a process known as denitrification. Severe denitrification curtails ClONO2 formation, allowing enhanced ClO and thus chemical ozone destruction to persist. Therefore, as a central participant in both the activation and the deactivation of chlorine, HNO3 indirectly regulates the extent, duration, and cumulative magnitude of stratospheric ozone depletion.

The HNO3 Molecule

The standard product for HNO₃ is taken from the 240 GHz (Core+R3) retrieval at and below 10 hPa, and from the 190 GHz (Core+R2B) retrieval at and above 6.8 hPa.

(map from 2005d264)

HNO3 Information from the Spectroscopy Database Product Information Line Listing

2009

1. Popp, P.J., T.P. Marcy, R.S. Gau, L.A. Watts, D.W. Fahey, E.C. Richard, S.J. Oltmans, M.L. Santee, N.J. Livesey, L. Froidevaux, B. Sen, G.C. Toon, K.A. Walker, C.D. Boone, P.F. Bernath, "Stratospheric correlation between nitric acid and ozone", vol 114, pgs. D03305, 2009. Reprint
2. Jumelet, J., S. Bekki, P. Seifert, N. Montoux, J.P. Vernier, J. Pelon, "Microphysical modeling of a midlatitude “polar stratospheric cloud” event: Comparisons against multiwavelength ground-based and spaceborne lidar data", vol 114, pgs. D00H02, 2009. Reprint
3. , , , C. Clerbaux, M.L. Santee, R.V. Martin, , "Global distributions of nitric acid from IASI/MetOP measurements", vol 9, pgs. 7949-7962, 2009. Reprint

2008

1. Santee, M.L., I.A. MacKenzie, G.L. Manney, M.P. Chipperfield, P.F. Bernath, K.A. Walker, C.D. Boone, L. Froidevaux, N.J. Livesey, J.W. Waters, "A study of stratospheric chlorine partitioning based on new", vol 113, pgs. D12307, 2008. Reprint
2. Kinnison, D.E., J.C. Gille, J.J. Barnett, C.E. Randall, V.L. Harvey, A. Lambert, R. Khosravi, M.J. Alexander, P.F. Bernath, C.D. Boone, C. Cavanaugh, M.T. Coffey, C. Craig, V. Dean, T. Eden, D. Ellis, D.W. Fahey, G. Francis, C. Halvorson, J.W. Hannigan, C. Hartsough, C. Hepplewhite, C. Krinsky, H. Lee, W.G. Mankin, T. Marcy, S.T. Massie, B. Nardi, D. Packman, P.J. Popp, M.L. Santee, V. Yudin, K.A. Walker, "Global Observations of HNO3 from the High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS): First results", num 113, pgs. D16S44, 2008. Reprint
3. Coffey, M.T., J.W. Hannigan, A. Goldman, D.E. Kinnison, J.C. Gille, J. Barnett, L. Froidevaux, A. Lambert, M.L. Santee, N.J. Livesey, B.M. Fisher, S.S. Kulawik, R. Beer, "Airborne Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) observations in support of EOS Aura validation", vol 113, pgs. D16S42, 2008. Reprint
4. Wolff, M.A., T. Kerzenmacher, K. Strong, K.A. Walker, M. Toohey, E. Dupuy, P.F. Bernath, C.D. Boone, S. Brohede, V. Catoire, T. von Clarmann, M. Coffey, W.H. Daffer, M. De Maziere, P. Duchatelet, N. Glatthor, J. Hannigan, F. Hase, M. Hopfner, N. Huret, N. Jones, K. Jucks, A. Kagawa, Y. Kasai, I. Kramer, H. Kullmann, J. Kuttippurath, E. Mahieu, G. Manney, C.T. McElroy, C. McLinden, Y. Mebarki, S. Mikuteit, D. Murtagh, C. Piccolo, P. Raspollini, M. Ridolfi, R. Ruhnke, M. Santee, C. Senten, D. Smale, C. Tetard, J. Urban, S. Wood, "Validation of HNO3, ClONO2, and N2O5 from the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS)", vol 8, num 13, pgs. 3529-3562, 2008. Reprint
5. Manson, A.H., C.E. Meek, T. Chshyolkova, "Regional stratospheric warmings in the Pacific-Western Canada (PWC) sector during winter 2004/2005: implications for temperatures, winds, chemical constituents and the characterization of the Polar vortex", vol 26, pgs. 3597-3622, 2008. Reprint

2007

1. Manney, G.L., W.H. Daffer, J.M. Zawodny, P.F. Bernath, K.W. Hoppel, K.A. Walker, B.W. Knosp, C. Boone, E.E. Remsberg, M.L. Santee, V. Lynn Harvey, S. Pawson, D.R. Jackson, L. Deaver, C.T. McElroy, C.A. McLinden, J.R. Drummond, H.C. Pumphrey, A. Lambert, M.J. Schwartz, L. Froidevaux, S. McLeod, L.L. Takacs, M.J. Suarez, C.R. Trepte, D.T. Cuddy, N.J. Livesey, R.S. Harwood, J.W. Waters, "Solar Occultation Satellite Data and Derived Meteorological Products: Sampling Issues and Comparisons with Aura MLS", vol 112, pgs. D24S50, 2007. Reprint
2. Santee, M.L., A. Lambert, W.G. Read, N.J. Livesey, R.E. Cofield, D.T. Cuddy, W.H. Daffer, B.J. Drouin, L. Froidevaux, R.A. Fuller, R.F. Jarnot, B.W. Knosp, G.L. Manney, V.S. Perun, W.V. Snyder, P.C. Stek, R.P. Thurstans, P.A. Wagner, J.W. Waters, G. Muscari, R.L. deZafra, J.E. Dibb, D.W. Fahey, P.J. Popp, T.P. Marcy, K.W. Jucks, G.C. Toon, R.A. Stachnik, P.F. Bernath, C.D. Boone, K.A. Walker, J. Urban, D. Murtagh, "Validation of Aura Microwave Limb Sounder HNO₃ Measurements", vol 112, pgs. D24S40, 2007. Reprint
3. Wang, D.Y., C.S. Singleton, G. Mengistu Tsidu, G.P. Stiller, T. von Clarmann, H. Fischer, T. Blumenstock, N. Glatthor, U. Grabowski, F. Hase, S. Kellmann, A. Linden, M. Milz, H. Oelhaf, M. Schneider, T. Steck, G. Wetzel, M. López-Puertas, B. Funke, M.E. Koukouli, H. Nakajima, T. Sugita, H. Irie, J. Urban, D. Murtagh, M.L. Santee, G. Toon, M.R. Gunson, F.W. Irion, C.D. Boone, K. Walker, P.F. Bernath, "Validation of nitric acid retrieved by the IMK-IAA processor from MIPAS/ENVISAT measurements", vol 7, pgs. 721-738, 2007. Reprint

2006

1. Froidevaux, L., N.J. Livesey, W.G. Read, Y.B. Jiang, C.J. Jimenez, M.J. Filipiak, M.J. Schwartz, M.L. Santee, H.C. Pumphrey, J.H. Jiang, D.L. Wu, G.L. Manney, B.J. Drouin, J.W. Waters, E.J. Fetzer, P.F. Bernath, C.D. Boone, K.A. Walker, K.W. Jucks, G.C. Toon, J.J. Margitan, B. Sen, C.R. Webster, L.E. Christensen, J.W. Elkins, E. Atlas, R.A. Lueb, R. Hendershot, "Early validation analyses of atmospheric profiles from EOS MLS on the Aura satellite", vol 44, num no. 5, 2006. Reprint
2. Cofield, R.E., P.C. Stek, "Design and field-of-view calibration of 114-660 GHz optics of the Earth Observing System Microwave Limb Sounder", vol 44, num no. 5, pgs. 1166-1181, 2006. Reprint
3. Barret, B., P. Ricaud, M.L. Santee, J-L. Attie, J. Urban, E. Le Flochmoen, G. Berthet, D. Murtagh, P. Eriksson, A. Jones, J. de La Noe, E. Dupuy, L. Froidevaux, N.J. Livesey, J.W. Waters, M.J. Filipiak, "Intercomparisons of Trace Gas Profiles from the Odin/SMR and Aura/MLS Limb Sounders", vol 111, pgs. D21302, 2006. Reprint
4. Irie, H., T. Sugita, H. Nakajima, T. Yokota, H. Oelhaf, G. Wetzel, G.C. Toon, B. Sen, M.L. Santee, Y. Terao, N. Saitoh, M.K. Ejiri, T. Tanaka, Y. Kondo, H. Kanzawa, H. Kobayashi, Y. Sasano, "Validation of stratospheric nitric acid concentration profiles observed by Improved Limb Atmospheric Sectrometer (ILAS)-II", vol 111, pgs. D11S03, 2006. Reprint
5. Schoeberl, M.R., S.R. Kawa, A.R. Douglass, T.J. McGee, E.V. Browell, J.W. Waters, N.J. Livesey, W.G. Read, L. Froidevaux, M.L. Santee, H.C. Pumphrey, L.R. Lait, L. Twigg, "Chemical Observations of a Polar Vortex Intrusion", vol 111, pgs. D20306, 2006. Reprint

2005

1. Davies, S., G.W. Mann, K.S. Carslaw, M.P. Chipperfield, J.A. Kettleborough, M.L. Santee, H. Oelhaf, G. Wetzel, Y. Sasano, T. Sugita, "3D microphysical model studies of Arctic denitrification: Comparison with observation", vol 5, pgs. 3093-3109, 2005. Reprint Summary
2. Orsolini, Y.J., G.L. Manney, M.L. Santee, C.E. Randall, "An upper stratospheric layer of enhanced HNO₃ following exceptional solar storms", vol 32, pgs. L12S01, 2005. Reprint Summary
3. Santee, M.L., G.L. Manney, N.J. Livesey, L. Froidevaux, H.C. Pumphrey, W.G. Read, M.J. Schwartz, J.W. Waters, "Polar processing and development of the 2004 Antarctic ozone hole: First results from Aura MLS", vol 32, pgs. L12817, 2005. Reprint Summary

2004

1. Drouin, B.J., J.L. Fry, C.E. Miller, "Rotational Spectrum of cis-cis HOONO", vol 120, num Issue 12, pgs. 63-81, 2004. Reprint Summary

2002

1. Danilin, M.Y., M K.W. Ko, R.M. Bevilacqua, L.V. Lyjak, L. Froidevaux, M.L. Santee, J.M. Zawodny, K.W. Hoppel, E.C. Richard, J.R. Spackman, E.M. Weinstock, R.L. Herman, K.A. McKinney, P.O. Wennberg, F.L. Eisele, R.M. Stimpfle, C.J. Scott, J.W. Elkins, T.V. Bui, "Comparison of ER-2 aircraft and POAM-III, MLS, and SAGE II satellite measurements during SOLVE using traditional correlative analysis and trajectory hunting techniques", vol 107, num D5, pgs. 8315, 2002. Reprint Summary
2. Danilin, M.Y., M K.W. Ko, L. Froidevaux, M.L. Santee, L.V. Lyjak, R.M. Bevilacqua, J.M. Zawodny, Y. Sasano, H. Irie, Y. Kondo, J.M. Russell, C.J. Scott, W.G. Read, "Trajectory hunting as an effective technique to validate multiplatform measurements: Analysis of the MLS, HALOE, SAGE-II, ILAS, and POAM-II data in October-November 1996", vol 107, num D20, pgs. 4420, 2002. Reprint Summary
3. Muscari, G., M.L. Santee, R.L. de Zafra, "Intercomparison of stratospheric HNO₃ over Antarctica: Ground-based Millimeter-wave versus UARS/MLS Version 5 retrievals", vol 107, num D24, pgs. 4809, 2002. Reprint Summary
4. Santee, M.L., A. Tabazadeh, G.L. Manney, M.D. Fromm, R.M. Bevilacqua, J.W. Waters, E.J. Jensen, "A Lagrangian approach to studying Arctic polar stratospheric clouds using UARS MLS HNO₃ and POAM II aerosol extinction measurements", vol 107, num D10, pgs. 4098, 2002. Reprint Summary

2000

1. Santee, M.L., G.L. Manney, N.J. Livesey, J.W. Waters, "UARS Microwave Limb Sounder Observations of Denitrification and Ozone Loss in the 2000 Arctic Late Winter", vol 27, pgs. 3213-3216, 2000. Reprint
2. Tabazadeh, A., M.L. Santee, M.Y. Danilin, H.C. Pumphrey, P.A. Newman, P.J. Hamill, J.L. Mergenthaler, "Quantifying Denitrification and Its Effect on Ozone Recovery", vol 288, pgs. 1407-1411, 2000. Reprint

1999

1. Dessler, A.E., J. Wu, M.L. Santee, M.R. Schoeberl, "Satellite observations of temporary and irreversible denitrification", vol 104, num D11, pgs. 13,993-14,002, 1999. Reprint
2. Randel, W.J., F. Wu, J.M. Russell, J. Waters, "Space-time patterns of trends in stratospheric constituents derived from UARS measurements", vol 104, num D3, pgs. 3711-3727, 1999. Reprint
3. Santee, M.L., G.L. Manney, L. Froidevaux, W.G. Read, J.W. Waters, "Six years of UARS Microwave Limb Sounder HNO₃ observations: Seasonal, interhemispheric, and interannual variations in the lower stratosphere", vol 104, num D7, pgs. 8225-8246, 1999. Reprint

1998

1. Ricaud, P., E. Monnier, F. Goutail, J-P. Pommereau, C. David, S. Godin, L. Froidevaux, J.W. Waters, J. Mergenthaler, A.E. Roche, H. Pumphrey, M.P. Chipperfield, "Stratosphere over Dumont d'Urville, Antarctica, in winter 1992", vol 103, num D11, pgs. 13,267-13,284, 1998. Reprint
2. Santee, M.L., A. Tabazadeh, G.L. Manney, R.J. Salawitch, L. Froidevaux, W.G. Read, J.W. Waters, "UARS MLS HNO₃ observations: Implications for Antarctic PSCs", vol 103, num D11, pgs. 13,285-13,314, 1998. Reprint

1997

1. Engel, A., U. Schmidt, R.A. Stachnik, "Partitioning Between Chlorine Reservoir Species Deduced from Observations in the Arctic Winter Stratosphere", vol 27, pgs. 107-126, 1997. Reprint
2. Massie, S.T., J.E. Dye, D. Baumbardner, W.J. Randel, F. Wu, X.X. Tie, L. Pan, F. Figarol, G.P. Brasseur, M.L. Santee, W.G. Read, R.G. Grainger, A. Lambert, J.L. Mergenthaler, A. Tabazadeh, "Simultaneous observations of Polar Stratospheric Clouds and HNO₃ over Scandinavia in January, 1992", vol 24, pgs. 595-598, 1997. Reprint
3. Santee, M.L., G.L. Manney, L. Froidevaux, R.W. Zurek, J.W. Waters, "MLS observations of ClO and HNO₃ in the 1996-97 Arctic polar vortex", vol 24, pgs. 2713-2716, 1997. Reprint

1996

1. Kumer, J.B., J.L. Mergenthaler, A.E. Roche, R.W. Nightingale, G.A. Ely, W.G. Uplinger, J.C. Gille, S.T. Massie, P.L. Bailey, M.R. Gunson, M.C. Abrams, G.C. Toon, B. Sen, J. Blavier, R.A. Stachnik, C.R. Webster, R.D. May, D.G. Murcray, F.J. Murcray, A. Goldman, W.A. Traub, K.W. Jucks, D.G. Johnson, "Comparison of correlative data with HNO₃ version 7 from the CLAES instrument deployed on the NASA Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite", vol 101, num D6, pgs. 9621-9656, 1996. Reprint
2. Santee, M.L., G.L. Manney, W.G. Read, L. Froidevaux, J.W. Waters, "Polar vortex conditions during the 1995-96 Arctic winter: MLS ClO and HNO₃", vol 23, pgs. 3207-3210, 1996. Reprint

1995

1. Santee, M.L., W.G. Read, J.W. Waters, L. Froidevaux, G.L. Manney, D.A. Flower, R.F. Jarnot, R.S. Harwood, G.E. Peckham, "Interhemispheric differences in polar stratospheric HNO3, H2O, ClO and O3", vol 267, pgs. 849-852, 1995. Reprint

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