Correlation relationships of stratospheric molecular constituents from high spectral resolution, ground-based infrared solar absorption spectra

Comparisons of chemically active species with chemically inert tracers are useful to quantify transport and mixing and assess the accuracy of model pr edictions. We report measurements of chemically active species and chemical ly inert tracers in the stratosphere derived from the analysis of infrared solar absorption spectra recorded with a ground-based Fourier transform spe ctrometer operated typically at 0.005- to 0.01-cm(-1) spectral resolution. The measurements were recorded from Kitt Peak in southern Arizona (latitude 31.9 degrees N, 111.6 degrees W, 2.09 km altitude). Time series of N2O, CH 4, O-3, and HNO3 vertical profiles have been retrieved from measurements in microwindows. From these results, correlations between N2O and CH4 stratos pheric mixing ratios and between O-3 and HNO3 lower stratospheric mixing ra tios have been derived. The measured correlations between N2O versus CH4 mi xing ratios are compact and show little variability with respect to season in quantitative agreement with Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy Expe riment (ATMOS) spring and autumn measurements recorded near the same latitu de. Lower stratospheric O-3 versus HNO3 mixing ratios measured during low t o moderate aerosol loading time periods also show a compact relations thoug h the HNO3/O-3 slope is a factor of 2 lower than obtained from November 199 4 ATMOS measurements near the Same latitude. We also compare Kitt Peak and ATMOS N2O versus CH4 and O-3 versus HNO3 relations obtained by averaging th e measurements over two broad stratospheric layers. This comparison avoids bias from the a priori profiles and the limited vertical resolution of the ground-based observations.