[en] Vertical profiles of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere have been retrieved from 0.01-cm-1 resolution infrared solar occultation spectra recorded by the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) Fourier transform spectrometer during the ATLAS (Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science) 1 shuttle mission of March 24 to April 2, 1992. Based on measurements of the unresolved absorption by the SF6 nu3 band Q branch at 947.9 cm-1, average SF6 volume mixing ratios and 1-sigma uncertainties of 3.20 +/- 0.54 parts per trillion by volume (pptv; 10(-12) ppv) at 200 mbar (approximately 11.8 km) declining to 2.86 +/- 0.29 pptv at 100 mbar (approximately 16.2 km) and 1.95 +/- 0.50 pptv at 30 mbar (approximately 23.9 km) have been retrieved. The profiles show no obvious dependence with latitude over the range of the measurements (eight occultations spanning 28-degrees-S to 54-degrees-S). Assuming an exponential growth model and applying a correction for the interhemispheric concentration difference, an average SF6 rate of increase of 8.7 +/- 2.2% per year, 2 sigma, between 12 and 18 km has been derived by fitting the present measurements, ATMOS measurements from the April-May 1985 Spacelab 3 mission, and balloon-borne IR measurements obtained in March 1981 and June 1988.
Disciplines :
Earth sciences & physical geography
Author, co-author :
Rinsland, C. P.
Gunson, M. R.
Abrams, M. C.
Lowes, L. L.
Zander, Rodolphe ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Services généraux (Faculté des sciences) > Relations académiques et scientifiques (Sciences)
Mahieu, Emmanuel ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Groupe infra-rouge de phys. atmosph. et solaire (GIRPAS)
Language :
English
Title :
ATMOS ATLAS-1 MEASUREMENTS OF SULFUR-HEXAFLUORIDE (SF6) IN THE LOWER STRATOSPHERE AND UPPER TROPOSPHERE
Publication date :
20 November 1993
Journal title :
Journal of Geophysical Research
ISSN :
0148-0227
eISSN :
2156-2202
Publisher :
American Geophysical Union, Washington, United States - District of Columbia