HETEROGENEOUS CHEMICAL REACTION OF CHLORINE NITRATE AND WATER ON SULFURIC-ACID SURFACES AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

It has been demonstrated that the reaction between gaseous chlorine nitrate and water on room temperature liquid sulfuric acid (95.6%) surfaces yields hypochlorous acid in the gas phase. First-order loss rate constants for chlorine nitrate (equivalent to a value of the sticking coefficient y = 3.2 x 10 -4 ) have been determined. This value is five orders-of-magni- tude greater than reported values on similar areas of more inert surfaces. Application of results of this type to stratospheric models must await ongoing studies at lower tempera- tures.