Revised reference model for nitric acid

A nearly global set of data on the nitric acid distribution was obtained for seven months by the Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) experiment on the Nimbus 7 spacecraft. The evaluation of the accuracy, precision and resolution of these data is described, and a description of the major features of the nitric acid distributions is presented. The sonal mean for nitric acid is distributed in a stratospheric layer that peaks near 30 mb, with the largest mixing ratios occurring in polar regions, especially in winter.