Chemistry of Stratospheric Chlorine

Abstract

The reaction system and sources of stratospheric chlorine compounds are reviewed. Sensitivity of the reaction system to rate coefficients for the reactions of ClO with O3, CH4 and HO2, and of Cl with HO2 and O3 + M is examined. It is found that these reactions could affect the ClOx content and the ozone destruction rate. Contemporary source strengths of ClOx due to chlorocarbon compounds such as CF2Cl2, CFCl3, CCl4 and CH3Cl are in comparable magnitude with each other. The stratospheric production rate of ClOx from all of these chlorocarbons is in agreement with the HCl density observed in the stratosphere. The ozone destruction by the Cl-ClO cycle operates by about 10% of the total ozone destruction rate at heights 35-45km in 1974-1975.