In situ HNO3 to NOy instrument comparison during SOLVE

Measurements of HNO3 mixing ratios from the chemical ionization mass spectrometer have been critically compared with simultaneous measurements of total gas phase NOy from the NO chemiluminescence detector aboard the NASA DC‐8 aircraft during the SAGE 3 Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE). The data were obtained in the arctic upper troposphere and lower stratosphere in the winter of 1999–2000. A brief comparison to the NOy instrument aboard the NASA ER‐2 is also presented. The time responses, detection limits, relative precision, and stability of relative calibrations for the instruments were in excellent agreement throughout the mission. However, the average slope of the HNO3 to NOy correlation was 1.13 ± 0.03 overall and 1.06 ± 0.03 in stratospheric air, indicating that the two measurements had a systematic calibration offset. Possible sources for the offset error are presented, and methods to reduce the calibration error in future flights are suggested.