Abstract
Abstract. This paper is focusing on the representativeness of single lidar stations for zonally averaged ozone profile variations over the middle and upper stratosphere. From the lower to the upper stratosphere, ozone profiles from single or grouped lidar stations correlate well with zonal means calculated from the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Radiometer (SBUV) satellite overpasses. The best representativeness with significant correlation coefficients is found within ±15∘ of latitude circles north or south of any lidar station. This paper also includes a multivariate linear regression (MLR) analysis on the relative importance of proxy time series for explaining variations in the vertical ozone profiles. Studied proxies represent variability due to influences outside of the earth system (solar cycle) and within the earth system, i.e. dynamic processes (the Quasi Biennial Oscillation, QBO; the Arctic Oscillation, AO; the Antarctic Oscillation, AAO; the El Niño Southern Oscillation, ENSO), those due to volcanic aerosol (aerosol optical depth, AOD), tropopause height changes (including global warming) and those influences due to anthropogenic contributions to atmospheric chemistry (equivalent effective stratospheric chlorine, EESC). Ozone trends are estimated, with and without removal of proxies, from the total available 1980 to 2015 SBUV record. Except for the chemistry related proxy (EESC) and its orthogonal function, the removal of the other proxies does not alter the significance of the estimated long-term trends. At heights above 15 hPa an “inflection point” between 1997 and 1999 marks the end of significant negative ozone trends, followed by a recent period between 1998 and 2015 with positive ozone trends. At heights between 15 and 40 hPa the pre-1998 negative ozone trends tend to become less significant as we move towards 2015, below which the lower stratosphere ozone decline continues in agreement with findings of recent literature.
Highlights
At least three recently published papers (Steinbrecht et al, 2017; Weber et al, 2018; Ball et al, 2018) show that total ozone and ozone profile trends are consistent with earlier WMO Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion (2014) findings
The period (1998–2015) is slightly larger from the period studied by Frith et al (2017) (2001–2015) the results reported here are in general agreement with the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Radiometer (SBUV) trends reported in that study
This paper investigates the representativeness of single lidar stations to calculate trends in the vertical ozone profiles
Summary
At least three recently published papers (Steinbrecht et al, 2017; Weber et al, 2018; Ball et al, 2018) show that total ozone and ozone profile trends are consistent with earlier WMO Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion (2014) findings. In the case of ozone profile trends, Steinbrecht et al (2017) confirmed increasing trends in the upper stratosphere (2 hPa) as first reported in WMO Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion (2014). The project aims at providing support and input to the WMO/UNEP 2018 Ozone Assessment for a better understanding of ozone trends and their significance as a function of altitude and latitude, nearly 20 years after the peak of ozone depleting substances in the stratosphere. We try to provide a better understanding of uncertainties and to quantify the effect of stratospheric climatology and chemistry on the estimated profile trends
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
