Altitude profile measurements of nitric acid (HNO3) were collected using balloon-borne instrument packages flown into the stratosphere. The data, gathered by the SCIOPS organization, includes concurrent measurements of aerosol particles, temperature, and ozone to study polar stratospheric cloud formation. The dataset's last known update was in September 1994.
Use Cases
- Analyze seasonal variation in nitric acid concentration across autumn, winter, and spring from altitude profiles.
- Correlate nitric acid measurements with concurrent aerosol particle size data to study cloud formation.
- Model polar stratospheric cloud processes using combined nitric acid, temperature, and ozone measurements.
- Investigate dehydration and denitrification events by examining time-series data from supporting water vapor flights.
Strengths
- Multi-season coverage across autumn, winter, and spring.
- Multi-instrument packages measuring nitric acid, aerosols, temperature, and ozone concurrently.
Limitations
- Data is temporally stale, with the last update recorded in 1994.
- Unknown sample size and spatial coverage of balloon flights.
- Potential for missing or unstandardized data from supporting flights.
Provenance
- Source
- SCIOPS organization, via NASA EarthData.
- Collection Method
- Measurements from instrument packages (approx. 60 kg each) flown on stratospheric balloons.
- Time Range
- Covers autumn, winter, and spring seasons (specific years unknown).
- Geography
- Likely polar regions, given the focus on polar stratospheric clouds, but exact location is unspecified.