Seasonal variation of peroxy radicals in the lower free troposphere based on observations from the FREE Tropospheric EXperiments in the Swiss Alps

P Zanis, PS Monks, TJ Green, E Schuepbach, LJ Carpenter, GP Mills, AR Rickard, N Brough, SA Penkett

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Abstract

Continuous measurements of peroxy radicals were carried out using the chemical amplification technique during three intensive FREE Tropospheric Experiments, (FREETEX) in 1996, 1998 and 2001 at the Jungfraujoch (3,580 m asl) in the Swiss Alps, in combination covering the period of ozone build-up from late winter to late spring. The monthly medians of the peroxy radical measurements from 10:00 to 13:00 UT in February, March, April, and May, after filtering out the more cloudy conditions, show a clear seasonal behaviour with a gradual increase of the peroxy radical mixing ratios from around 12 pptv in February to around 20 pptv in May. This data represents among the first semi-continuous seasonal observations of peroxy radical concentrations, which indicates the important and possibly dominant role of in-situ photochemistry in the observed ozone build up from winter to spring in the lower free-troposphere over the Alps.
Original languageEnglish
JournalGeophysical Research Letters
Volume30
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2003

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