CFCl3 (CFC-11): UV absorption spectrum temperature dependence measurements and the impact on its atmospheric lifetime and uncertainty

CFCl3 (CFC-11) is both an atmospheric ozone-depleting and potent greenhouse gas that is removed primarily via stratospheric UV photolysis. Uncertainty in the temperature dependence of its UV absorption spectrum is a significant contributing factor to the overall uncertainty in its global lifetime and, thus, model calculations of stratospheric ozone recovery and climate change. In this work, the CFC-11 UV absorption spectrum was measured over a range of wavelength (184.95–230 nm) and temperature (216–296 K). We report a spectrum temperature dependence that is less than that currently recommended for use in atmospheric models. The impact on its atmospheric lifetime was quantified using a 2-D model and the spectrum parameterization developed in this work. The calculated global annually averaged lifetime was 58.1 ± 0.7 years (2σ uncertainty due solely to the spectrum uncertainty). The lifetime is slightly reduced and the uncertainty significantly reduced from that obtained using current UV spectrum recommendations.