HR: 15:10h
AN: A23F-06    [Abstracts]
TI: New Measurements of Stratospheric HOx from Aura MLS and Balloon
AU: * Pickett, H M
EM: Herbert.M.Pickett@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Lab, Caltech, Mail Stop 183-701, Pasadena, CA 91109
AB: The Aura MLS instrument measures OH near 2512 GHz and HO$_2$ near 660 GHz. The OH bands have sensitivity to obtain daily maps for 30-80 km. The HO$_2$ band has sensitivity to obtain monthly zonal means for 30 - 75 km. Since launch, the MLS OH and HO$_2$ bands have been performing to predicted sensitivity levels. Data will be presented concerning the HOx dilemma in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere. Additionally, a balloon precursor to the MLS OH instrument has had three scientific flights over the last four years. In September 2003, the balloon instrument flew from noon until 2 AM the next morning and showed a very slow decay of OH above 45 km. The MLS OH and HO$_2$ bands can also probe this long-lived HOx from measurements on the dark side of the orbit. These observations of night-time HOx put further constraints on the chemistry.
UR: http://mls.jpl.nasa.gov
DE: 0300 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE
DE: 0317 Chemical kinetic and photochemical properties
DE: 0340 Middle atmosphere--composition and chemistry
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting