Measurements of bromine containing organic compounds at the tropical tropopause

The amount of bromine entering the stratosphere from organic source gases is a primary factor involved in determining the magnitude of bromine catalyzed loss of ozone. Thirty two whole air samples were collected at the tropical tropopause during the NASA STRAT Campaign in Feb., Aug., and Dec., 1996 and were analyzed for brominated organic compounds. Total organic bromine was 17.4±0.9 ppt with 55% from methyl bromide, 38% from the Halons, 6% from dibromomethane, and 0.8% from bromochloromethane and dichlorobromomethane. One flight showed the presence of 0.42 ppt of additional organic bromine from bromoform and dibromochloromethane.