Physics
Scientific paper
Sep 1978
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1978georl...5..761r&link_type=abstract
Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 5, Sept. 1978, p. 761-764. Research supported by the Manufacturing Chemists Association, NBS,
Physics
Aerosols, Atmospheric Chemistry, Gas Dissociation, Nitrous Oxides, Photodecomposition, Pyrolysis, Sands, Sinks
Scientific paper
Nitrous oxide is shown to undergo both a thermal and a photochemical decomposition at 296 K when it is adsorbed on various dry sands. The photochemical process occurs with light of wavelengths greater than 280 nm, where gaseous N2O does not absorb. At low pressures (less than 0.1 torr) the half-life for the thermal decomposition of nitrous oxide to nitrogen when placed in contact with about 5 gm of heat-treated Tunisian sand in a one-liter vessel was 350 + or - 35 days. Under certain photolytic conditions this half-life was reduced. The efficiency of the photolytic process for a particular sand depends on the pressure and on the wavelength of light. For Tunisian sand at 1.1 torr and with the full mercury arc, the destruction efficiency is about 0.00002 molecule/incident photon. These results indicate that particulate matter in the troposphere may be responsible for the decomposition of nitrous oxide and hence act as an atmospheric sink for N2O. However, moisture causes a drastic reduction in the number of molecules dissociated per incident photon.
Ausloos P.
Rebbert R. E.
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