HR: 1340h
AN: A33D-0097    [Abstracts]
TI: Evaluation of Ozonesonde Solution Concentrations Using Dual Ozonesonde Balloon Flights, and Comparison With EP-TOMS Satellite and Dobson Spectrophotometer Total Column Ozone Over McMurdo Station, Antarctica
AU: * Mercer, J L
EM: mercer@uwyo.edu
AF: The University of Wyoming, Department of Atmospheric Science, Dept. 3038, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071 United States
AU: Deshler, T
EM: deshler@uwyo.edu
AF: The University of Wyoming, Department of Atmospheric Science, Dept. 3038, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071 United States
AU: Kroger, C
EM: c.kroger@gns.cri.nz
AF: Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, 69 Gracefield Rd. P.O. Box 30-368, Lower Hutt, 9182 New Zealand
AU: Nardi, B
EM: nardi@ucar.edu
AF: National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000 United States
AU: Wood, S W
EM: s.wood@niwa.co.nz
AF: National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd., State Highway 85, Lauder, 9182 New Zealand
AU: Nichol, S
EM: s.nichol@niwa.co.nz
AF: National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd., State Highway 85, Lauder, 9182 New Zealand
AB: Balloon-borne ozonesondes are used to measure vertical profiles of ozone concentration from 0 to $\sim$ 35 km. While these instruments have precisions of $\sim$ 5%, there are questions concerning accuracy. The debate centers primarily on the concentration of the potassium-iodide (KI) solution used in the electrochemical concentration cell, and whether it should be buffered with potassium bromide. The recommendations range from 0.5% buffered to 1.0% buffered to 2.0% unbuffered solution. Here, we compare the results of 19 dual ozonesonde flights over McMurdo Station, Antarctica (78$\deg$S) (12 flights with 1.0% and 0.5% buffered KI solution, and 7 flights with 1.0% buffered and 2.0% unbuffered KI solution). Comparisons between vertical ozone profiles show that the 0.5% buffered and the 2.0% unbuffered solutions consistently give lower values of ozone than the 1.0% buffered solution when ozone partial pressure is $\sim>$5mPa. Total column ozone values are calculated from balloon flight measurements and compared with total column ozone measured by the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) on NASA's Earth Probe satellite and by a Dobson spectrophotometer operated approximately 1 km from McMurdo station. In seven of the dual flights consisting of 0.5% and 1% buffered solutions and all of the dual flights with 2.0% unbuffered and 1.0% buffered solutions, the 1.0% buffered solution compared better to both TOMS and Dobson spectrophotometer measurements. Of the other 5 flights with 0.5% and 1.0% solutions, four occurred while McMurdo was outside of the polar vortex. In these cases, the 0.5% solution compares better with the TOMS and Dobson spectrophotometer data. While other studies, comparing solution types and strengths in the mid latitudes, have suggested that 0.5% buffered solution gives more accurate total column ozone, the analyses presented here suggest that 1.0% buffered solution measurements compare more favorably to other measures of total ozone in the polar vortex during periods of large ozone depletion.
DE: 9310 Antarctica
DE: 0394 Instruments and techniques
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting