Measurements of NOx emissions from the Antarctic snowpack

It has been shown that NOx is produced photochemically within the snowpack of polar regions. If emitted to the atmosphere, this process could be a major source of NOx in remote snowcovered regions. We report here on measurements made at the German Antarctic station, Neumayer, during austral summer 1999, aimed at detecting and quantifying emissions of NOx from the surface snow. Gradients of NOx were measured, and fluxes calculated using local meteorology measurements. On the 2 days of flux measurements, the derived fluxes showed continual release from the snow surface, varying between similar to0 and 3x10(8) molecs/cm(2)/s. When not subject to turbulence, the variation was coincident with the uv diurnal cycle, suggesting rapid release once photochemically produced. Scaling the diurnal average of Feb. 7th (1.3x10(8) molecs/cm(2)/s) suggests an annual emission over Antarctica of the order 0.0076TgN.

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