Long-Term Microwave Observations of Middle Atmospheric Ozone
 in Apatity during Three Winters

Abstract

The results of ground-based microwave observations of ozone in the middle atmosphere in Apatity(67° N, 33° E) during three winters (2017–2018, 2018–2019 and 2019–2020) are presented. Long-term ozoneobservations were carried out during the period of minimum solar activity for cycles 24 and 25. A mobilemicrowave spectrometer with an operating frequency of 110.8 GHz was used in the measurements, whichallows tracking the behavior of ozone in the middle atmosphere with a 15-minute time resolution. The microwaveozone data from ground-based measurements are compared with the MLS/Aura onboard data. Groundand airborne data are compared with the data of contact measurements with ozonesondes at Sodankyla st.(67° N, 27° E). In addition, MLS/Aura data from mid-atmospheric temperature soundings are used to interpretperturbations in the ozone layer associated with sudden stratospheric warmings. A significant influencesudden stratospheric warming on the ozone vertical distribution at altitudes of 22–60 km was found. At thesame time, the scale of mesospheric ozone variability (60 km) over Apatity is comparable or exceeds theknown model calculations for assessing the impact of solar proton events and auroral electron precipitationon the ozone of the polar regions.