scholarly journals Analyzing ozone variations and uncertainties at high latitudes during Sudden Stratospheric Warming events using MERRA-2

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shima Bahramvash Shams ◽  
Von P. Walden ◽  
James W. Hannigan ◽  
William J. Randel ◽  
Irina V. Petropavlovskikh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stratospheric Ozone ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Stratospheric Warming ◽  
Sudden Stratospheric Warming ◽  
Total Column Ozone ◽  
Northern Latitudes ◽  
Stratospheric Dynamics ◽  
Zonal Average

Abstract. Stratospheric circulation is a critical part of the Arctic ozone cycle. Sudden stratospheric warming events (SSWs) manifest the strongest alteration of stratospheric dynamics. Changes in planetary wave propagation vigorously influence zonal mean zonal wind, temperature, and tracer concentrations in the stratosphere over the high latitudes. In this study, we examine six major SSWs from 2004 to 2020 using the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2). Using the unique density of observations around the Greenland sector at high latitudes, we perform comprehensive comparisons of high latitude observations with the MERRA-2 ozone dataset during the six major SSWs. Our results show that MERRA-2 captures the high variability of mid stratospheric ozone fluctuations during SSWs over high latitudes. However, larger uncertainties are observed in the lower stratosphere and troposphere. The zonally averaged stratospheric ozone shows a dramatic increase of 9–29 % in total column ozone (TCO) near the time of each SSW, which lasts up to two months. The SSWs exhibit a more significant impact on ozone over high northern latitudes when the polar vortex is mostly elongated as seen in 2009 and 2018 compared to the events in which the polar vortex is displaced towards Europe. The regional impact of SSWs over Greenland has a similar structure as the zonal average, however, exhibits more intense ozone anomalies which is reflected by 15–37 % increase in TCO. The influence of SSW on mid stratospheric ozone levels persists longer than their impact on temperature. This paper is focused on the increased (suppressed) wave activity before (after) the SSWs and their impact on ozone variability at high latitudes. This includes an investigation of the different terms of tracer continuity using MERRA-2 parameters, which emphasizes the key role of vertical advection on mid-stratospheric ozone during the SSWs.

scholarly journals Middle atmospheric water vapor and ozone anomalies during the 2010 major sudden stratospheric warming

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 32391-32422 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Scheiben ◽  
C. Straub ◽  
K. Hocke ◽  
P. Forkman ◽  
N. Kämpfer
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Stratospheric Ozone ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Atmospheric Water Vapor ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Stratospheric Warming ◽  
Atmospheric Water ◽  
Sudden Stratospheric Warming ◽  
Stratospheric Water Vapor

Abstract. A major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) occurred in the Northern Hemisphere in January 2010. The warming started on 26 January 2010, was most pronounced by the end of January and was accompanied by a polar vortex shift towards Europe. After the warming, the polar vortex split into two weaker vortices. The zonal mean temperature in the polar upper stratosphere (35–45 km) increased by approximately 25 K in a few days, while there was a decrease in temperature in the lower stratosphere and mesosphere. Local temperature maxima were around 325 K in the upper stratosphere and minima around 175 and 155 K in the lower stratosphere and mesosphere, respectively. In this study, we present middle atmospheric water vapor and ozone measurements obtained by a meridional chain of European ground-based microwave radiometers in Bern (47° N), Onsala (57° N) and Sodankylä (67° N). The instruments in Bern and Onsala are part of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC). Effects of the SSW were observed at all three locations and we perform a combined analysis in order to reveal transport processes in the middle atmosphere above Europe during the SSW event. Further we investigate the chemical and dynamical influences of the SSW event. We find that the anomalies during the warming in water vapor and ozone were different for each location. A few days before the beginning of the major SSW, we observed a decrease in mesospheric water vapor above Bern, which we attribute to movement of the mesospheric polar vortex towards Central Europe. The most prominent H2O anomaly observed in Bern was an increase in stratospheric water vapor during the warming. In Onsala and Sodankylä, mesospheric water vapor increased within a few days during the warming and slowly decreased afterwards. Upper stratospheric ozone decreased during the warming over Bern by approximately 30% and by approximately 20% over Onsala. Over Sodankylä, a decrease in ozone below 30 km altitude was observed. This decrease is assumed to be caused by heterogeneous chemistry on polar stratospheric clouds. After the SSW, stratospheric ozone increased to higher levels than before at all three locations. The observed anomalies are explained by a trajectory analysis with reanalysis data from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Most of the observed anomalies in water vapor and ozone during the warming are attributed to the location of the polar vortex, depending on whether a measurement site was inside or outside the polar vortex. The observed increase in mesospheric water vapor at high latitudes is explained by advection of relatively moist air from lower latitudes, whereas the observed increase in stratospheric water vapor at midlatitudes is explained by advection from high latitudes, i.e. from the moist stratospheric polar vortex.

scholarly journals The Diurnal Variation in Stratospheric Ozone from MACC Reanalysis, ERA-Interim, WACCM, and Earth Observation Data: Characteristics and Intercomparison

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 625
Author(s):  
Ansgar Schanz ◽  
Klemens Hocke ◽  
Niklaus Kämpfer ◽  
Simon Chabrillat ◽  
Antje Inness ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diurnal Variation ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Stratospheric Ozone ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Free Running

In this study, we compare the diurnal variation in stratospheric ozone of the MACC (Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate) reanalysis, ECMWF Reanalysis Interim (ERA-Interim), and the free-running WACCM (Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model). The diurnal variation of stratospheric ozone results from photochemical and dynamical processes depending on altitude, latitude, and season. MACC reanalysis and WACCM use similar chemistry modules and calculate a similar diurnal cycle in ozone when it is caused by a photochemical variation. The results of the two model systems are confirmed by observations of the Superconducting Submillimeter-Wave Limb-Emission Sounder (SMILES) experiment and three selected sites of the Network for Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) at Mauna Loa, Hawaii (tropics), Bern, Switzerland (midlatitudes), and Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard (high latitudes). On the other hand, the ozone product of ERA-Interim shows considerably less diurnal variation due to photochemical variations. The global maxima of diurnal variation occur at high latitudes in summer, e.g., near the Arctic NDACC site at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. The local OZORAM radiometer observes this effect in good agreement with MACC reanalysis and WACCM. The sensed diurnal variation at Ny-Ålesund is up to 8% (0.4 ppmv) due to photochemical variations in summer and negligible during the dynamically dominated winter. However, when dynamics play a major role for the diurnal ozone variation as in the lower stratosphere (100–20 hPa), the reanalysis models ERA-Interim and MACC which assimilate data from radiosondes and satellites outperform the free-running WACCM. Such a domain is the Antarctic polar winter where a surprising novel feature of diurnal variation is indicated by MACC reanalysis and ERA-Interim at the edge of the polar vortex. This effect accounts for up to 8% (0.4 ppmv) in both model systems. In summary, MACC reanalysis provides a global description of the diurnal variation of stratospheric ozone caused by dynamics and photochemical variations. This is of high interest for ozone trend analysis and other research which is based on merged satellite data or measurements at different local time.

scholarly journals Winter 2018 major sudden stratospheric warming impact on midlatitude mesosphere from microwave radiometer measurements

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (15) ◽  
pp. 10303-10317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuke Wang ◽  
Valerii Shulga ◽  
Gennadi Milinevsky ◽  
Aleksey Patoka ◽  
Oleksandr Evtushevsky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zonal Wind ◽  
Microwave Radiometer ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Stratospheric Warming ◽  
Sudden Stratospheric Warming ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Easterly Wind ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Midlatitude Mesosphere

Abstract. The impact of a major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) in the Arctic in February 2018 on the midlatitude mesosphere is investigated by performing the microwave radiometer measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) and zonal wind above Kharkiv, Ukraine (50.0∘ N, 36.3∘ E). The mesospheric peculiarities of this SSW event were observed using a recently designed and installed microwave radiometer in eastern Europe for the first time. Data from the ERA-Interim and MERRA-2 reanalyses, as well as the Aura microwave limb sounder measurements, are also used. Microwave observations of the daily CO profiles in January–March 2018 allowed for the retrieval of mesospheric zonal wind at 70–85 km (below the winter mesopause) over the Kharkiv site. Reversal of the mesospheric westerly from about 10 m s−1 to an easterly wind of about −10 m s−1 around 10 February was observed. The local microwave observations at our Northern Hemisphere (NH) midlatitude site combined with reanalysis data show wide-ranging daily variability in CO, zonal wind, and temperature in the mesosphere and stratosphere during the SSW of 2018. The observed local CO variability can be explained mainly by horizontal air mass redistribution due to planetary wave activity. Replacement of the CO-rich polar vortex air by CO-poor air of the surrounding area led to a significant mesospheric CO decrease over the station during the SSW and fragmentation of the vortex over the station at the SSW start caused enhanced stratospheric CO at about 30 km. The results of microwave measurements of CO and zonal wind in the midlatitude mesosphere at 70–85 km altitudes, which still are not adequately covered by ground-based observations, are useful for improving our understanding of the SSW impacts in this region.

scholarly journals Gravity Waves excited during a Minor Sudden Stratospheric Warming

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Dörnbrack ◽  
Sonja Gisinger ◽  
Natalie Kaifler ◽  
Tanja Portele ◽  
Martina Bramberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Waves ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Internal Gravity Waves ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Stratospheric Warming ◽  
Sudden Stratospheric Warming ◽  
Coherent Wave ◽  
Propagating Waves ◽  
A Minor ◽  
Inertia Gravity Waves

Abstract. An exceptionally deep upper-air sounding launched from Kiruna airport (67.82° N, 20.337° E) on 30 January 2016 stimulated the current investigation of internal gravity waves excited during a minor sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) in the Arctic winter 2015/16. The analysis of the radiosonde profile revealed large kinetic and potential energies in the upper stratosphere without any simultaneous enhancement of upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric values. Upward propagating inertia-gravity waves in the upper stratosphere and downward propagating modes in the lower stratosphere indicated a region of gravity wave generation in the stratosphere. Two-dimensional wavelet analysis was applied to vertical time series of temperature fluctuations in order to determine the vertical propagation direction of the stratospheric gravity waves in one-hourly high-resolution meteorological analyses and short-term forecasts. The separation of up- and downward propagating waves provided further evidence for a stratospheric source of gravity waves. The scale-dependent decomposition of the flow into a balanced component and inertia-gravity waves showed that coherent wave packets preferentially occurred at the inner edge of the Arctic polar vortex where a sub-vortex formed during the minor SSW.

scholarly journals Dynamical evolution of a minor sudden stratospheric warming in the Southern Hemisphere in 2019

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangyu Liu ◽  
Toshihiko Hirooka ◽  
Nawo Eguchi ◽  
Kirstin Krüger
Keyword(s):  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Vertical Component ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Planetary Waves ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Stratospheric Warming ◽  
Sudden Stratospheric Warming ◽  
Zonal Wavenumber ◽  
Westerly Winds ◽  
A Minor

Abstract. This study analyzes the Japanese 55-year Reanalysis (JRA-55) dataset from 2002 to 2019 to examine the sudden stratospheric warming event that occurred in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) in 2019 (hereafter referred to as SSW2019). Strong warming at the polar cap and decelerated westerly winds were observed, but since there was no reversal of westerly winds to easterly winds at 60° S in the middle to lower stratosphere, the SSW2019 is classified as a minor warming event. The results show that quasi-stationary planetary waves of zonal wavenumber 1 developed during the SSW2019. The strong vertical component of the Eliassen–Palm flux with zonal wavenumber 1 is indicative of pronounced propagation of planetary waves to the stratosphere. The wave driving in September 2019 shows that the values are larger than those of the major SSW event in 2002 (hereafter referred to as SSW2002). Since there was no pronounced preconditioning (as in SSW2002) and the polar vortex was already strong before the SSW2019 occurred, a major disturbance of the polar vortex was unlikely to have taken place. The strong wave driving in SSW2019 occurred in high latitudes. Waveguides (i.e., positive values of the refractive index) are found at high latitudes in the upper stratosphere during the warming period, which provided favorable conditions for quasi-stationary planetary waves to propagate upward and poleward.

scholarly journals Stratospheric ozone loss in the Arctic winters between 2005 and 2013 derived with ACE-FTS measurements

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 577-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debora Griffin ◽  
Kaley A. Walker ◽  
Ingo Wohltmann ◽  
Sandip S. Dhomse ◽  
Markus Rex ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Stratospheric Ozone ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Mixing Ratio ◽  
Total Column Ozone ◽  
Ozone Loss ◽  
Column Ozone ◽  
First Time

Abstract. Stratospheric ozone loss inside the Arctic polar vortex for the winters between 2004–2005 and 2012–2013 has been quantified using measurements from the space-borne Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS). For the first time, an evaluation has been performed of six different ozone loss estimation methods based on the same single observational dataset to determine the Arctic ozone loss (mixing ratio loss profiles and the partial-column ozone losses between 380 and 550 K). The methods used are the tracer-tracer correlation, the artificial tracer correlation, the average vortex profile descent, and the passive subtraction with model output from both Lagrangian and Eulerian chemical transport models (CTMs). For the tracer-tracer, the artificial tracer, and the average vortex profile descent approaches, various tracers have been used that are also measured by ACE-FTS. From these seven tracers investigated (CH4, N2O, HF, OCS, CFC-11, CFC-12, and CFC-113), we found that CH4, N2O, HF, and CFC-12 are the most suitable tracers for investigating polar stratospheric ozone depletion with ACE-FTS v3.5. The ozone loss estimates (in terms of the mixing ratio as well as total column ozone) are generally in good agreement between the different methods and among the different tracers. However, using the average vortex profile descent technique typically leads to smaller maximum losses (by approximately 15–30 DU) compared to all other methods. The passive subtraction method using output from CTMs generally results in slightly larger losses compared to the techniques that use ACE-FTS measurements only. The ozone loss computed, using both measurements and models, shows the greatest loss during the 2010–2011 Arctic winter. For that year, our results show that maximum ozone loss (2.1–2.7 ppmv) occurred at 460 K. The estimated partial-column ozone loss inside the polar vortex (between 380 and 550 K) using the different methods is 66–103, 61–95, 59–96, 41–89, and 85–122 DU for March 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011, respectively. Ozone loss is difficult to diagnose for the Arctic winters during 2005–2006, 2008–2009, 2011–2012, and 2012–2013, because strong polar vortex disturbance or major sudden stratospheric warming events significantly perturbed the polar vortex, thereby limiting the number of measurements available for the analysis of ozone loss.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Arctic polar vortex dynamics during the sudden stratospheric warming in January 2009

2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-146
Author(s):  
V. V. Zuev ◽  
E. S. Savelieva ◽  
A. V. Pavlinsky
Keyword(s):  
Wind Speed ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Reanalysis Data ◽  
Wave Activity ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Stratospheric Warming ◽  
Sudden Stratospheric Warming ◽  
Mean Wind Speed ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Middle Stratosphere

The Arctic polar vortex is often affected by wave activity during its life cycle. The planetary Rossby waves propagating from the troposphere to the stratosphere occasionally lead to the displacement or splitting of the polar vortex, accompanied by sudden stratospheric warming (SSW). In January 2009, one of the largest SSWs was observed in the Arctic. In this work, the dynamics of the polar vortex during the 2009 SSW is considered using a new method that allows one to estimate the vortex area, the wind speed at the vortex edge, the mean temperature and ozone mass mixing ratio inside the vortex, based on the fact that the Arctic vortex edge at the 50 and 10 hPa pressure levels is determined by the geopotential values, respectively, 19.5. 104 and 29.5. 104 m2 /s2 , using the ERA5 reanalysis data. The application of this method is justified for the Arctic polar vortex, which is characterized by significant variability, especially during the period of its splitting. The splitting of the polar vortex in 2009 was observed on January 24 and 28, respectively, in the middle and lower stratosphere. About a week after the splitting, the vortices became closer in characteristics to small cyclones, which completely collapsed within 1–3 weeks. The influence of planetary wave activity on the polar vortex does not always lead to its breakdown. Short-term splitting of the polar vortex is sometimes observed for several days after which the polar vortex strengthens again and PSCs form inside the vortex. Such a recovery of the polar vortex is most likely to occur in the winter. Based on the analysis of the dynamics of the Arctic polar vortex for 1979–2020 and using the example of the 2009 SSW, we showed that when the vortex area decreases to less than 10 million km2 and the mean wind speed at the vortex edge decreases below 30 and 45 m/s, respectively, in the lower and middle stratosphere, the polar vortex becomes a small cyclone (with significantly higher temperatures within it), which usually collapses within 3 weeks.

scholarly journals The Influence of Zonally Asymmetric Stratospheric Ozone Changes on the Arctic Polar Vortex Shift

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (11) ◽  
pp. 4641-4658
Author(s):  
Jiankai Zhang ◽  
Wenshou Tian ◽  
Fei Xie ◽  
John A. Pyle ◽  
James Keeble ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Model ◽  
Stratospheric Ozone ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Stratospheric Polar Vortex ◽  
Total Column Ozone ◽  
Cooling Effects ◽  
Lower Temperature ◽  
Combined Cooling

AbstractRecent studies have found a shift of the Arctic stratospheric polar vortex toward Siberia during late winter since 1980, intensifying the zonally asymmetric ozone (ZAO) depletion in the northern middle and high latitudes with a stronger total column ozone decline over Siberia compared with that above other regions at the same latitudes. Using observations and a climate model, this study shows that zonally asymmetric stratospheric ozone depletion gives a significant feedback on the position of the polar vortex and further favors the stratospheric polar vortex shift toward Siberia in February for the period 1980–99. The polar vortex shift is not significant in the experiment forced by zonal mean ozone fields. The February ZAO trend with a stronger ozone decline over Siberia causes a lower temperature over this region than over the other regions at the same latitudes, due to shortwave radiative cooling and dynamical cooling. The combined cooling effects induce an anomalous cyclonic flow over Siberia, corresponding to the polar vortex shift toward Siberia. In addition, the ZAO depletion also increases the meridional gradient of potential vorticity over Siberia, which is favorable for the upward propagation of planetary wave fluxes from the troposphere over this region. Increased horizontal divergence of planetary waves fluxes over the region 60°–75°N, 60°–90°E associated with ZAO changes accelerates the high-latitude zonal westerlies in the middle stratosphere, further enhancing the shift of the stratospheric polar vortex toward Siberia. After 2000, the ZAO trend in February is weaker and induces a smaller polar vortex shift than that in the period 1980–99.

scholarly journals Stratospheric ozone loss in the Arctic winters between 2005 and 2013 derived with ACE-FTS measurements

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debora Griffin ◽  
Kaley A. Walker ◽  
Ingo Wohltmann ◽  
Sandip S. Dhomse ◽  
Markus Rex ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Stratospheric Ozone ◽  
Correlation Method ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Mixing Ratio ◽  
Total Column Ozone ◽  
Ozone Loss ◽  
Column Ozone

Abstract. Stratospheric ozone loss inside the Arctic polar vortex for the winters between 2004/2005 and 2012/2013 has been quantified using measurements from the space-borne Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS). Six different methods, including tracer-tracer correlation, artificial tracer correlation, average vortex profile descent, and passive subtraction with model output from both Lagrangian and Eulerian chemical transport models (CTMs), have been employed to determine the Arctic ozone loss (mixing ratio loss profiles and the partial column ozone losses between 380 and 550 K). For the tracer-tracer, the artificial tracer, and the average vortex profile descent approaches, various tracers have been used. Here, we show that CH4, N2O, HF, and CFC-12 are suitable tracers for investigating polar stratospheric ozone depletion with ACE-FTS. The ozone loss estimates (in terms of the mixing ratio as well as total column ozone) are generally in good agreement between the different methods and among the different tracers. However, the tracer-tracer correlation method does not agree with the other estimation methods in March 2005 and using the average vortex profile descent technique typically leads to smaller maximum losses compared to all other methods. The passive subtraction method using output from CTMs generally results in smaller uncertainties and slightly larger losses compared to the techniques that use ACE-FTS measurements only. The ozone loss computed, using both measurements and models, shows the greatest loss during the 2010/2011 Arctic winter. For that year, our results show that maximum ozone loss (2.1–2.7 ppmv) occurred at 460 K. The estimated partial column ozone loss inside the polar vortex (between 380 K and 550 K) is 66–103 DU, 61–95 DU, 59–96 DU, 41–89 DU, and 85–122 DU for March 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011, respectively. Ozone loss is difficult to diagnose during 2005/2006, 2008/2009, 2011/2012, and 2012/2013 because strong polar vortex disturbance or major sudden stratospheric warming events significantly perturbed the polar vortex thereby limiting the number of measurements available for the analysis.

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