Using the NASA ATom Mission to Investigate the Peroxide Budget of the Global Remote Troposphere

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and methyl hydroperoxide (CH₃OOH, MHP) are two major components of the global peroxide budget, an important atmospheric family due to their ability to act as reactive sinks and mobile reservoirs of HO_x (=OH+HO₂). A global survey of H₂O₂ and MHP was made using chemical ionization mass spectrometry during the recent Atmospheric Tomography (ATom) Mission aboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft. We investigate trends in mixing ratios of these peroxides across different geographic and altitude profiles collected in the remote troposphere. These data, in conjunction with a diurnal photochemical steady-state model, will be used to assess the peroxide budget of the remote troposphere and determine the relative roles of chemical processing, convection, and transport in altering peroxide concentrations. From these we will gain insight into how variations in these peroxides impact the oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere.