The possible importance of CSO for the sulfate layer of the stratosphere

Photodissociation of CSO (and possibly CS₂) may provide an interesting stratospheric source of SO₂ and further conversion of this SO₂ to H₂SO₄ may contribute significantly to the non-volcanic background sulfate layer in the stratosphere. Assuming a tropospheric background volume mixing ratio of 2-3 × 10^-10, as indicated by some tropospheric measurements, the input of SO₂ in the stratosphere coming from the decay of CSO is estimated to be 6 × 10⁶ - 10⁷ molecules cm^-2s^-1. Little is known about the sources and sinks of CSO. It is, therefore, clear that, as a matter of caution, a possible growth of industrial releases of CSO (and CS₂) into the atmosphere, e.g., from coal combustion, should be watched carefully with regard to their influence on the stratospheric aerosol layer and the earth's radiation balance.