Hydroxyl radical and ozone measurements in England during the solar eclipse of 11 August 1999

The solar eclipse on 11 August 1999 provided a rare opportunity to observe the remarkably dynamic character of atmospheric photochemistry. OH formation is driven by sunlight, and the rapid changes in light intensity associated with a solar eclipse provide a unique, yet natural perturbation experiment to study the response of OH and the ensuing chemistry. Highly rime-resolved measurements of OH and its rate of primary production were made at ground level during a 97% solar eclipse at Silwood Park, Ascot (51 degrees 25'N, 0 degrees 41'W) on 11 August 1999. The solar ultraviolet flux fell almost to nighttime levels, and the OH concentration decreased dramatically to below the detection limit of the instrument (2.1 x 10(5) molecule cm(-3)), before increasing again. The OH concentration is well correlated (r = 0.88) to its rate of primary production from ozone photolysis. Shortly after maximum eclipse the concentration of ozone fell to 60% of its value at first contact. The study provides a striking demonstration of the dynamics of photochemical processes in the planetary boundary layer.