The possible importance of CSO for the sulfate layer of the stratosphere

Abstract

Photodissociation of CSO (and possibly CS 2) may provide an interesting stratospheric source of SO 2 and further conversion of this SO 2 to H 2 SO 4 may contribute significantly to the non‐volcanic background sulfate layer in the stratosphere. Assuming a tropospheric background volume mixing ratio of 2‐3 × 10−10, as indicated by some tropospheric measurements, the input of SO 2 in the stratosphere coming from the decay of CSO is estimated to be 6 × 10 6 ‐ 10 7 molecules cm−2 s−1. Little is known about the sources and sinks of CSO. It is, therefore, clear that, as a matter of caution, a possible growth of industrial releases of CSO (and CS 2) into the atmosphere, e.g., from coal combustion, should be watched carefully with regard to their influence on the stratospheric aerosol layer and the earth's radiation balance.