Stratospheric ozone depletion at northern midlatitudes after major volcanic eruptions

Abstract

During winter 1982/83 and in early 1985, abnormal ozone deficiencies in the stratosphere were recorded at northern midlatitude stations. Ozone variations measured by ozonesondes at Hohenpeissenberg are analysed with respect to dynamic transport variations related to the quasibiennial oscillation (QBO). After the elimination of seasonal fluctuations, long-term trends and average QBO related variations, ozone time series are compared to particle surface area densities derived from lidar measurements of the stratospheric aerosol layer at Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The two stations are only 37 km apart. The analysis reveals that the 1985 ozone minimum is a transport effect, as well as most of the 1982/83 minimum. But at 17 to 20 km in 1982/83, 30 to 40% of the ozone deficiency is most probably related to the aerosol perturbation of the lower stratosphere following the April 1982 eruption of the Mexican volcano El Chichon.