ATMOSPHERIC NITROUS OXIDE,
Abstract
Information relating to atmospheric nitrous oxide is reviewed. Measurements by several groups show that the fractional volume abundance f (N2O) is about 2.5 x 10 to the -7th power in the troposphere. Photo dissociation is the most important destruction process. Its effectiveness is reduced by the finiteness of the vertical exchange coefficient which prevents nitrous oxide being transported up through the stratosphere fast enough to keep f (N2O) from decreasing with altitude. To balance the mean loss by photo dissociation there must be a source providing 2 to 3 x 10 to the 9th power N2O molecules / sq. cm sec over the surface of the Earth. The most probable source is microbiological as first suggested by Adel. However the slow homogeneous chemical reaction between ozone and nitrogen is not excluded by the laboratory work reported. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0644516
Entities
People
- D. R. Bates
- P. B. Hays
Organizations
- Queen's University Belfast