Measurement of the Mixing Ratio Profile for Water Vapor and Nitrogen Dioxide in the Stratosphere.
Abstract
Mixing ratios for water vapor and nitrogen dioxide between 22.4 and 28.4 km are derived using an infrared remote sensing technique. This technique employs a balloon-borne infrared spectrometer coupled to a biaxial solar pointing system to obtain atmospheric spectra using the setting sun as a source. These spectra were quantitatively interpreted using a single layer line-by-line analysis. Spectral line information, necessary for this type of analysis on the 6.532 - 6.653 micrometer water vapor features, was obtained from an AFCRL compilation. Line information for the 6.173 - 6.250 micrometer nitrogen dioxide features were generated in the course of this work. Results of this analysis for water vapor tend to support a 'dry' stratosphere, with a mixing ratio less than 10 ppmv. However, there is evidence that the water vapor mixing ratio tends to increase above the midlatitude tropopause. The volume mixing ratio for nitrogen dioxide increases from 0.4 ppbv at 16 km to 5 ppbv at 28.4 km with no evidence of a layer between these two altitudes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADA017887
Entities
People
- Donald E. Snider
Organizations
- Ballistic Research Laboratory