THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE REACTION OH+CLO-]HCL+O-2 ON POLAR OZONE PHOTOCHEMISTRY

We call attention to the likely importance of the potential reaction OH + ClO --> HCl + O-2. It may only be a minor channel for the reaction of OH with ClO, which is often ignored in models, but if it occurs it considerably increases the rate of recovery of HCl after an air parcel has encountered a polar stratospheric cloud (PSC). The net effect of this reaction on the ozone concentration depends on the relative HCl concentration and whether the air parcel is in a PSC. When an air parcel is in a PSC and the HCl concentration is less than the sum of the HOCl and ClONO2 concentrations, heterogeneous ClOx production is rate limited by the production of HCl. Under these conditions the reaction allows HCl to be reprocessed more rapidly by the heterogeneous reactions of HCl with HOCl and ClONO2. This allows high ClOx concentration to be maintained for longer, and at a slightly higher level, than would otherwise be possible which in turn leads to more ozone depletion. When there are PSCs but HCl is in excess, or outside of the PSC regions (i.e. during the recovery phase), the reaction will always reduce the ClO/HCl ratio and hence slightly reduce the ozone loss.