Effects of supernova-induced soft X-rays on middle- and upper-atmospheric nitric oxide and stratospheric ozone

Siskind, David E.; Jones Jr., McArthur; Reep, Jeffrey W.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-201-2025

Articles | Volume 43, issue 1

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-201-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-201-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 43, issue 1

Regular paper

|

31 Mar 2025

Regular paper |

| 31 Mar 2025

Effects of supernova-induced soft X-rays on middle- and upper-atmospheric nitric oxide and stratospheric ozone

David E. Siskind, McArthur Jones Jr., and Jeffrey W. Reep

Data sets

The modern-era retrospective analysis for research and applications, version 2 (MERRA-2) (https://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/datasets?project=MERRA-2) R. Gelaro et al. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0758.1

SABER: Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (Version 2.0) (http://saber.gats-inc.com/index.php) R. Esplin et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EA002999

Comparison of a photochemical model with observations of mesospheric hydroxyl and ozone (https://map.nrl.navy.mil/map/pub/nrl/) D. E. Siskind et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2012JD017971

EOS MLS Version 5.0x Level 2 and 3 data quality and description document N. J. Livesey et al. https://mls.jpl.nasa.gov/eos-aura-mls/data.php

Short summary

This study tests a recent suggestion that multi-month soft X-ray emissions from supernovae can destroy planetary ozone layers. To test this, we assume a year-long solar flare and evaluate the production of nitric oxide in the upper atmosphere and its transport down to the stratosphere. Our results suggest widespread catalytic destruction of ozone; however, these effects are limited to the upper edge of the ozone layer (near 40 km). Thus, the total column is only slightly affected (1–2 %).