Stratospheric chemistry volcanic eruptions, effects

In short, the heterogeneous chemistry that drives the Antarctic ozone hole can occur not only on solid surfaces but also in and on liquid solutions containing combinations of HN03, H2S04, and HzO. As discussed in the following section, it is believed that this is why volcanic eruptions have such marked effects on stratospheric ozone on a global basis. 

The finding that the heterogeneous chemistry that occurs on polar stratospheric clouds also occurs in and on liquid solutions in the form of liquid aerosol particles and droplets in the atmosphere provided a key link in understanding the effects of volcanic eruptions on stratospheric ozone in both the polar regions and midlatitudes. As discussed herein, the liquid particles formed from volcanic emissions are typically 60-80 wt% H2S04-H20, and hence the chemistry discussed in the previous section can also occur in these particles (Hofmann and Solomon, 1989). We discuss briefly in this section the contribution of volcanic emissions to the chemistry of the stratosphere and to ozone depletion on a global scale. For a brief review of this area, see McCormick et al. (1995). 

Volcanic injection of large quantities of sulfate aerosol into the stratosphere offers the opportunity to examine the sensitivity of ozone depletion and species concentrations to a major perturbation in aerosol surface area (Hofmann and Solomon 1989 Johnston et al. 1992 Prather 1992 Mills et al. 1993). The increase in stratospheric aerosol surface area resulting from a major volcanic eruption can lead to profound effects on C10 -induced ozone depletion chemistry. Because the heterogeneous reaction of N205 and water on the surface of stratospheric aerosols effectively removes N02 from the active reaction system, less N02 is available to react with CIO to form the reservoir species C10N02. As a result, more CIO is present in active CIO cycles. Therefore an increase in stratospheric aerosol surface area, as from a volcanic eruption, can serve to make the chlorine present more effective at ozone depletion, even if no increases in chlorine are occurring. 

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