Assessment of 15N15N16O as a tracer of stratospheric processes

Kaiser, Jan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1553-4043, Röckmann, Thomas and Brenninkmeijer, Carl A. M. (2003) Assessment of 15N15N16O as a tracer of stratospheric processes. Geophysical Research Letters, 30 (2). ISSN 0094-8276

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Abstract

Isotopic fractionation of mono-substituted N2O species by the stratospheric sinks, photolysis and reaction with O(1D), has been investigated previously by atmospheric and laboratory measurements. Here, we report on photolysis of the most abundant poly-substituted isotopologue, 15N15N16O. The associated fractionation constant equals the sum of individual fractionation constants at central and terminal nitrogen sites. Based on statistical considerations, a more general “additivity rule” is proposed that extends to the remaining poly-substituted N2O species and is compared to predictions from two theories. Atmospheric mixing effects do not lead to measurable deviations from random isotope distributions since variations of isotope ratios are too small. Fractionation by the O(1D) sink likely also follows the “additivity rule”. Consequently, the stratospheric 15N15N16O abundance is expected to reflect its statistically dictated value. The value of 15N15N16O as a potential new tracer of stratospheric processes may thus be limited, but this remains to be verified by actual measurements.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (former - to 2017) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Atmospheric Chemistry (former - to 2018) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Climate, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (former - to 2017)
Depositing User:	Rosie Cullington
Date Deposited:	15 Jun 2011 10:41
Last Modified:	08 Mar 2023 11:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/32599
DOI:	10.1029/2002GL016253

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