Partitioning between HCl and ClONO2 and among the main components of the reactive nitrogen family (NO, NO2, HNO3, ClONO2, N2O5, and HO2NO2) has been studied inside and outside the Antarctic stratospheric vortex based on ATMOS profiles measured at sunrise during the 3-12 November 1994 ATLAS-3 Shuttle mission. Elevated mixing ratios of HCl in the lower stratosphere with a peak of similar to 2.9 ppbv (10(-9) parts per volume) were measured inside the vortex near 500 K potential temperature (similar to 19 km). Maximum ClONO2 mixing ratios of similar to 1.2, similar to 1.4, and similar to 0.9 ppbv near 700 K (similar to 25 km) were measured inside, at the edge, and outside the vortex, respectively. Model calculations reproduce the higher levels of HCl and NOx (NO + NO2) inside the lower stratospheric vortex both driven by photochemical processes initiated by low O3. The high HCl at low O3 results from chemical production of HCl via the reaction of enhanced Cl with CH4, limited production of ClONO2, and the descent of inorganic chlorine from higher altitudes.