Increase in the PSC‐formation probability caused by high‐flying aircraft

摘要: The saturation temperature Tsat for the formation of polar stratospheric clouds (PSC) strongly depends on local partial pressures nitric acid and water vapour, thus is sensitive to NOx H2O-injection due exhaust from aircraft in stratosphere. present paper investigates this effect, using daily data northern hemisphere compiled over last 25 years by Free University Berlin. For Type-I PSC were examined temperatures T < - 3 K, which would allow a supercooling about K measured previous arctic winter balloon mission, effect corresponding large HNO3-supersaturation. We show that required overcome heterogeneous nucleation energy barrier. compare analyses both background atmosphere one perturbed fleet 600 flying at ∼22 km altitude. result between December March cap region there might be more than doubling occurence PSCs an even stronger increase Type-II PSCs, accordingly substantial enhancement potential ozone destruction chlorine radicals.