Modeling Halogen Chemistry in Polar Spring: Basics, Methods and Model Studies

Since the 1970s, the concern of ozone related tohalogen chemistry in pristine polar regions haspuzzled scientists. In 1986, first observations ofdrastic depletions of tropospheric ozone werereported in the Arctic boundary layer. Suchdepletions are now recognized to bechemically-driven, involving salt aerosols andreactive halogen species from the gas phase. Thisbook provides a detailed description of polarchemistry and its history. Additionally, keyprocesses such as the formation of frost flowers andbrine layer or the precipitation of calcium carbonateare presented. Model results from the one-dimensionalmodel MISTRA were utilized to investigate the polarozone/halogen chemistry as well as the potentialsources of reactive halogen in the boundary layer. Inparticular, it is the first time that frost floweraerosols are considered as major source of halogensin a model. These model studies should help shed somelight on the latest mechanisms thought to lead tostrong polar tropospheric ozone depletions. This bookis addressed to professionals in AtmosphericSciences, or anyone else eager to get a deeperinsight into the polar chemical environment.