First Measurement of Hydroxide in the Middle Stratosphere

6.28.06

The MLS measurements of Hydroxide (OH) and Hydroperoxyl (HO₂) have provided the first tests of global stratospheric hydrogen chemistry and resolved the disagreement between model estimates of OH and earlier observations - these data suggest earlier observations are suspect.

In the stratosphere there is a natural balance between production of ozone (O₃ ) and atomic oxygen (o) by photolysis of oxygen molecules (O₂) and loss of O₃ and O through reactions with with radical compounds like OH and HO2.

Aura MLS is making global measurements of both OH and HO2 for the first time. Earlier limited measurements of OH did not agree with expected values calculated from measurements of water vapor and ozone using photochemical reactions measured in the laboratory. These measurements of OH and HO₂ agree with observations. Since profiles measured by MLS cover the globe and have already been made for more than one year, scientists can test their consistency with other measurements and the laboratory photochemical reactions at different altitudes, latitudes, time of day and seasons. Some fast photochemical reactions convert OH to HO₂ and back again, and comparing the ratio of HO₂/OH to its calculated value tests this very fast photochemistry. The calculated values and the ratio vary the same way as observed by MLS, showing that scientists understand and can model this important part of ozone chemistry.

Comparison of MLS (red) with balloon (green, blue) correlative measurements and model (dashed black line) over diurnal cycle

Comparison of MLS (red), model (black) and balloon (green) for different seasons. There is now reasonable agreement between measurement and model values.

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