Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

The impact of high altitude aircraft on the ozone layer in the stratosphere

  • Published:
Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The paper discusses the potential effects on the ozone layer of gases released by the engines of proposed high altitude supersonic aircraft. The major problem arises from the emissions of nitrogen oxides which have the potential to destroy significant quantities of ozone in the stratosphere. The magnitude of the perturbation is highly dependent on the cruise altitude of the aircraft. Furthermore, the depletion of ozone is substantially reduced when heterogeneous conversion of nitrogen oxides into nitric acid on sulfate aerosol particles is taken into account in the calculation. The sensitivity of the aerosol load on stratospheric ozone is investigated. First, the model indicates that the aerosol load induced by the SO2 released by aircraft is increased by about 10–20% above the background aerosols at mid-high latitude of the Northern Hemisphere at 15 km for the NASA emission scenario A (the NASA emission scenarios are explained in Tables I to III). This increase in aerosol has small effects on stratospheric ozone. Second, when the aerosol load is increased following a volcanic eruption similar to the eruption of El Chichon (Mexico, April 1982), the ozone column in spring increases by as much as 9% in response to the injection of NO x from the aircraft with the NASA emission scenario A. Finally, the modeled suggests that significant ozone depletion could result from the formation of additional polar stratospheric clouds produced by the injection of H2O and HNO3 by the aircraft engines.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bais, A. F., Zerefos, C. S., Ziomas, I. C., Zoumakis, N., Mantis, H. T., Hofmann, D. J., and Fiocco, G., 1985, Decrease in the ozone and the SO2 columns following the appearance of the El Chichon aerosol cloud at mid-latitude, inAtmospheric Ozone, Proceedings of the Quadrennial Ozone Symposium, Halkidiki, Greece, D. Reidel, Dordrecht, pp. 3533–356.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bekki, S., Toumi, R., Pyle, J. A., and Jones, A. E., 1991, Future aircraft and global ozone,Nature 354, 193–194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bekki, S. and Pyle, J. A., 1992, Two-dimensional assessment of the impact of aircraft sulphur emissions on the stratospheric sulphate aerosol layer,J. Geophys. Res. 97, 15839–15847.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bekki, S. and Pyle, J. A., 1993, Potential impact of combined NO x and SO x emissions from high speed civil transport aircraft on stratospheric aerosols and ozone,Geophys. Res. Lett. 20, 723–726.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brasseur, G. P., Granier, C., and Walter, S., 1990, Future changes in the stratospheric ozone and the role of heterogeneous chemistry,Nature 348, 626.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brasseur, G., Hitchman, M. H., Walters, S., Dymek, M., Falise, E., and Pirre, M., 1990, An interactive chemical dynamical radiative two-dimensional model of the middle atmosphere,J. Geophys. Res. 95, 5639–5655.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brasseur, G., and Granier, C., 1992, Mount Pinatubo aerosols, chlorofluorocarbons, and ozone depletion,Sciences 257, 1239–1242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broderick, A. J.et al., 1975, Propulsion effluents in the stratosphere, CIAP Monograph 2, DOT-TST-75-52, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cadle, R. D., Kiang, C. S., and Louis, J.-F., 1976, The global scale dispersion of the eruption clouds from major volcanic eruptions,J. Geophys. Res. 81, 3125–3132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Climatic Impact Assessment Program (CIAP), 1975a, Report of Findings: The effects of stratospheric pollution by aircraft, DOT-TST-75-50, A. J. Grobecker, S. C. Coroniti, and R. H. Cannon, Jr., (eds.), Dept. of Transportation, Washington, D.C.

  • Climatic Impact Assessment Program (CIAP), 1975b, Monographs 1–6, Department of transportation, Final Report, DOT-TST-1 to 6, Office of the Secretary of Transportation, Washington, D.C.

  • Crutzen, P. J., 1970, The influence of nitrogen oxide on the atmospheric ozone content,Quart. J. Roy. Met. Soc. 96, 320–325.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunkerton, T., 1978, On the mean meridional mass motions of the stratosphere and mesosphere,J. Atmos. Sci. 35, 2325–2333.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuchs, N. A., 1964,The Mechanics of Aerosols, Macmillan, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Granier, C. and Brasseur, G., 1992, Impact of heterogeneous chemistry on model predictions of ozone changes,J. Geophys. Res. 97, 18015–18033.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamill, P., 1975, The time dependent growth of H2O-H2SO4 aerosols by heteromolecular condensation,J. Aerosol. Sci. 6, 475–482.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamill, P., Toon, O. B., and Kiang, C. S., 1977, Microphysical processes affecting stratospheric aerosol particles,J. Atmos. Sci. 34, 1104–1119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, D. and Mauersberger, K., 1980, Laboratory studies of the nitric acid trihydrate: Implications for the south polar stratosphere,Geophys. Res. Lett. 15, 855–858.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, D. H. and Ravishankara, A. R., 1991, The reaction probability of ClONO2 and N2O5 on 40 to 75% sulfuric acid solutions,J. Geophys. Res. 96, 17307–17314.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirono, M. and Shibata, T., 1983, Enormous increase of stratospheric aerosols over Fukuoka due to volcanic eruption of El Chichon in 1982,Geophys. Res. Lett. 10, 152–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hitchman, M. H. and Brasseur, G., 1988, Rossby wave activity in a two-dimensional model: Closure for wave driving and meridional eddy diffusivity,J. Geophys. Res. 93, 9405–9417.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann, D. J. and Solomon, S., 1989, Ozone destruction through heterogeneous chemistry following the eruption of El Chichon,J. Geophys. Res. 94, 5029–5041.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoppel, W. A., 1976, Growth of condensation nuclei by heteromolecular condensation,J. Rech. Atmos. 9, 167–180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasten, F., 1968, Falling speed of aerosol particles,J. Appl. Meteorol. 7, 944–947.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackman, J., Douglass, A. R., Brueske, K. F., and Klein, S. A., 1991, The influence of dynamics on two-dimensional model results: Simulations of14C and stratospheric aircraft injections,J. Geophys. Res. 96, 22559–22572.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, H. S., 1971, Reduction of stratospheric ozone by nitrogen oxide catalysts from supersonic transport exhaust,Science 173, 517–522.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, H. S., Kinnission, D. E., and Wuebbles, D. J., 1989, Nitrogen oxide from high-altitude aircraft: An update of potential effects on ozone,J. Geophys. Res. 94, 16351–16363.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasten, F., 1968, Falling speed of aerosol particles,J. Appl. Meteorol. 7, 944–947.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiehl, J. T., Wolski, J., Briegleb, B. P., and Ramanathan, v., 1987, Documentation of radiation and cloud routines in the NCAR community climate model (CCM1), NCAR Tech. Note, NCAR/TN288+IA, Nat. Cent. for Atmos. Res., Boulder, CO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindzen, R. S., 1981, Turbulence and stress owing to gravity wave and tidal breakdown,J. Geophys. Res. 86, 9707–9714.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leu, M. T., 1988, Laboratory studies of sticking coefficients and heterogeneous reactions important in the Antarctc stratosphere,Geophys. Res. Lett. 15, 17–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCormick, M. P., Swissler, T. J., Fuller, W. H., Hunt, W. H., and Osborn, M. T., 1984, Airborne and ground-based lidar measurements of the El Chichon stratospheric aerosol from 90° N to 56° S,Geof. Int. 23 (2), 187–221.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCormick, M. P. and Swissler, T. J., 1983, Stratospheric aerosol mass and latitudinal distribution of the El Chichon eruption for October 1982,Geophys. Res. Lett. 10, 877–880.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKeen, S. A., Liu, S. C., and Kiang, C. S., 1984, On the chemistry of stratospheric SO2 from volcanic eruptions,J. Geophys. Res. 89, 4873–4881.

    Google Scholar 

  • Molina, M. J. and Rowland, F. S., 1974, Stratospheric sink for chlorofluoromethanes: Chlorine atom catalyzed destruction of ozone,Nature 249, 810–814.

    Google Scholar 

  • Molina, L. T. and Molina, M. J., 1987, Production of Cl2O2 from the self-reaction of ClO radical,J. Phys. Chem. 91, 433–436.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mroz, E. J., Mason, A. S., and Sedlacek, W. A., 1983, Stratospheric sulfate from El Chichon and the mystery volcano,Geophys. Res. Lett. 10, 873–876.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mroz, E. J., Mason, A. S., Leifer, R., and Juzdan, Z. R., 1984, Stratospheric impact of El Chichon,Geof. Int. 23 (3), 321–333.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Academy of Sciences (NAS), 1975, Environmental Impact of Stratospheric Flight, Washington, D.C.

  • Bruhl, Peter, Th. and Crutzen, P. J., 1991, Increase in the PSC-formation probability caused by highflying aircraft,Geophys. Res. Lett. 18, 1465–1468.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prather, M. J. and Watson, R. T., 1990, Stratospheric ozone depletion and future levels of atmospheric chlorine and bromine,Nature 344, 729–734.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prather, M. J., Wesoky, H. L., Miake-Lye, R. C., Douglass, A. R., Turco, R. P., Wuebbles, D. J., Ko, M. K. W., and Schmeltekopf, A. L., 1992, The atmospheric effects of stratospheric aircraft: A first program report, NASA Reference Publication 1272.

  • Rodriguez, J. M., Ko, M. K. W., and Sze, N. D., 1991, Role of heterogeneous conversion of N2O5 on sulfate aerosols in global ozone losses,Nature 352, 134–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solomon, S., Garcia, R. R., Rowland, F. S., and Wuebbles, D. J., 1986, On the depletion of Antarctic ozone,Nature 321, 755, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stolarski, R. S. and Cicerone, R. J., 1974, Stratospheric chlorine: A possible sink of ozone,Can. J. Chem. 52, 1610–1615.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tie, X., Lin, X., and Brasseur, G., 1993, Two-dimensional coupled dynamical/chemical/microphysical simulation of global distribution of El Chichon volcanic aerosols, Submitted toJ. Geophys. Res.

  • Tolbert, M. A., Rossi, M. J., and Golden, D. M., 1988, Heterogeneous interactions of chlorine nitrate, hydrogen chloride, and nitric acid with sulfuric acid surface at stratospheric temperatures,Geophys. Res. Lett. 15, 847–850.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turco, R. P., Hamill, P., Toon, O. B., Whitten, R. C., and Kiang, C. S., 1979, A one-dimensional model describing aerosol formation and evolution in the stratosphere. I. Physical processes and numerical analogs,J. Atmos. Sci. 36, 699–717.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turco, R. P., Whitten, R. C., and Toon, O. B., 1982, Stratospheric aerosols: Observation and theory,Rev. Geophys. 20, 233–279.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vedder, J. F., Condon, E. P., Inn, E. C. Y., Tabor, K. D., and Kritz, M. A., 1983, Measurements of stratospheric SO2 after the El Chichon eruptions,Geophys. Res. Lett. 11, 1045–1048.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisenstein, D. K., Ko, M. K. W., Rodriquez, M., and Sze, N. D., 1991, Impact of heterogeneous chemistry on model-calculated ozone change due to high speed civil transport aircraft,Geophys. Res. Lett. 18, 1991–1994.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 1990, Scientific Assessment of Stratospheric Ozone: 1989, Global Ozone Research and Monitoring Project, Report No. 20, Geneva, 1990.

  • World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 1992, Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 1991, Global Ozone Research and Monitoring Project, Report No. 25, Geneva, 1992.

  • Yue, G. K. and Hamill, P., 1979, The homogeneous nucleation rates of H2SO4-H2O aerosol particles in air,J. Aerosol Sci. 10, 609–614.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center for Atmospheric Research, 80307-3000, Boulder, CO, USA

    Xue Xi Tie & Guy Brasseur

  2. NOAA/ERL, Aeronomy Laboratory, 80303, Boulder, CO, USA

    Xing Lin

  3. National Center for Atmospheric Research, 80307-3000, Boulder, CO, USA

    Pierre Friedlingstein, Claire Granier & Philip Rasch

Authors
  1. Xue Xi Tie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. Guy Brasseur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xing Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  4. Pierre Friedlingstein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  5. Claire Granier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  6. Philip Rasch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tie, X.X., Brasseur, G., Lin, X. et al. The impact of high altitude aircraft on the ozone layer in the stratosphere. J Atmos Chem 18, 103–128 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00696810

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00696810

Key words