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Original Articles

Aitken nuclei measurements in the lower stratosphere

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Pages 116-127 | Received 29 Mar 1976, Accepted 31 May 1976, Published online: 15 Dec 2016
 

Abstract

A report is presented on Aitken nuclei (AN) measurements between 6 km and 19 km with the new Stratospheric Aitken Nuclei Detection System (SANDS) which was installed in the nose section of the WB-57F aircraft. Measurements were made between 48°N and 9°S latitudes over the U.S.A., Gulf of Mexico, Central and South America between March, 1974, and February, 1975.

Evaluation of 18 flights led to the following conclusion: The vertical profiles of AN concentration are similar to those found by Junge et al. (1961). However, the AN concentrations at altitudes above 17 km are higher by several tens of AN cm-3. Horizontal flights showed a low AN concentration above 18 km over the tropical regions (below 20 AN cm-3), and an influence of the Rocky Mountains and the Andes Mountains on the AN measurements at 18 km altitude. Usually, several km above the tropopause, a negative correlation between AN, and ozone concentration was found.