The global distribution of long-term total ozone variations during the period 1957–1975

Total ozone observations in the international network have been used as a basis for the analysis of the mean monthly ozone distribution over the globe for the period 1957–75. It has been found that during the period 1961–70 the total ozone amount increased in the Northern Hemisphere by about 12 percent and that this increase seems to be significant at all latitudes. Although the data were sparse for the Southern Hemisphere, there did not appear to be any significant ozone changes during the 10 year period. Relatively large geographic variations were found in the ozone trends and it is suggested that these variations are related to large scale changes in the atmospheric circular pattern.     

Remote sensing of the global distribution of total ozone and the inferred upper-tropospheric circulation from Nimbus IRIS experiments

The global distribution of total ozone is derived for the period April, May, June and July of 1969 from Nimbus-3 Infrared Interferometer Spectrometer (IRIS) experiment. Preliminary estimates of ozone amounts from Nimbus-4 IRIS for the same period of 1970 show similar results. The standard error of estimation of total ozone from both IRIS experiments is 6% with respect to Dobson Spectrophotometer measurements. A systematic variation in the ozone distribution from April to July in the tropical, middle and polar latitudes is observed indicating the changes in the lower stratospheric circulation.The total ozone measurements show a strong correlation with the upper tropospheric geopotential height in the extratropical latitudes. From this relationship total ozone is used as a quasi-stream function to deduce geostrophic winds at the 200 mb level over extratropical regions of the northern and southern hemispheres. These winds reveal the subtropical and polar jet streams over the globe.Allied research associates.     

On the relationship between vertical ozone distribution and the synoptic situation

Summary The purpose of the paper is to provide a statistical view of the role of circulation patterns and the origin of low stratospheric air in connection with vertical ozone distribution below the ozone maximum, and also with the total ozone amount. Ozonesonde data from the aerological observatory of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI) Prague-Libu (50·0N, 14·7E) for January to April during the period 1979–1990 have been analyzed using an objective method to find the distribution of laminae in the vertical profile of the ozone partial pressure related to the different types of circulation patterns. The synoptic classification following Grosswetterlagen (GWL) was used, the parameters of the ozone profile such as number, magnitude, thickness and height of laminae, or the appearance of the large laminae were obtained for the individual types of GWL and used in other procedures. The total ozone data from the ozone observatory of CHMI in Hradec Králové (50·2N, 15·8E) was also included together with the height of the tropopause and parameters of ozone profiles in the cluster analysis to investigate connections between the ozone distribution and circulation patterns (types of synoptic situation). The ozone low-level index (LLI), defined as the ratio of the integral amount of ozone in D.U. from the surface up to 50 hPa and total ozone were introduced to provide better information about ozone profile response to circulation patterns and thus provide a better grouping of similar types of GWL. The presented results imply the strong confirmation of the huge ozone laminae below the ozone maximum as the source of total ozone positive extremes under appropriate synoptic situations with the near location of the polar vortex edge, which could be used in common forecasts of atmospheric ozone as well as in remote sensing applications.     

Effects of short-term solar uv variability on the stratosphere

Changes in solar ultraviolet flux produce changes in ozone concentration in the upper stratosphere with associated radiative and dynamical effects. At low latitudes, the response of ozone mixing ratio to solar UV variations on the time scale of the solar rotation period is well characterized observationally. In addition, there is some provisional evidence for an ozone response at intermediate periods of 60-80 days. Current two-dimensional stratospheric models simulate the observed 27-day response amplitudes and phase lags with reasonable accuracy in the upper stratosphere. The observed response of total ozone on the 27-day time scale is also in approximate agreement with the same models although observed ozone sensitivities and phase lags are slightly larger than expected theoretically. Future studies of the 27-day response at higher latitudes and altitudes are needed to test more completely our understanding of the direct effects of solar UV variability on the middle atmosphere.     

Long-term changes (1980–2003) in total ozone time series over Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes

Long-term changes in total ozone time series for Arosa, Belsk, Boulder and Sapporo stations are examined. For each station we analyze time series of the following statistical characteristics of the distribution of daily ozone data: seasonal mean, standard deviation, maximum and minimum of total daily ozone values for all seasons. The iterative statistical model is proposed to estimate trends and long-term changes in the statistical distribution of the daily total ozone data. The trends are calculated for the period 1980–2003. We observe lessening of negative trends in the seasonal means as compared to those calculated by WMO for 1980–2000. We discuss a possibility of a change of the distribution shape of ozone daily data using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and comparing trend values in the seasonal mean, standard deviation, maximum and minimum time series for the selected stations and seasons. The distribution shift toward lower values without a change in the distribution shape is suggested with the following exceptions: the spreading of the distribution toward lower values for Belsk during winter and no decisive result for Sapporo and Boulder in summer.     

Solar response in the vertical structure of ozone and temperature in the tropical stratosphere

The aim of the present paper is to study the solar response in the vertical structure of ozone and temperature over the Indian tropical region and a search for any mutual relationship between their solar coefficients on a decadal scale in the lower stratosphere. For the purpose, the data obtained by ozonesonde and Umkehr methods for the lower stratospheric ozone and that of the total ozone amount from Dobson spectrophotometer during the period 1979–2001 have been analyzed. These data are analyzed using the multi-functional regression model, which takes into account most of the known natural and anthropogenic signals. The NCEP- and MSU-satellite data for the temperature over this region have been used. Results indicate an in-phase correlation of around 0.5 between ozone and solar flux (F10.7) in the vertical structure over the equatorial station, Trivandrum (8.3°N) but no significant correlation over Pune (18.3°N). The solar components of ozone and temperature indicate an in-phase but poor correlation in the lower stratospheric altitudes over both stations. However, when total ozone content data is analyzed, it indicates a very high correlation (⩾0.9) between the solar components of ozone and temperature. The solar trend in the vertical distribution of ozone is found to be of the order of 5–25% per 100 units of F10.7 solar flux for Trivandrum but it is relatively smaller (1.6–15.2%) over Pune. The solar dependence of temperature is found to be quite significant for the entire Indian tropical region with not much latitudinal variation.     

Meridional distribution of tropospheric ozone from measurements aboard commercial airliners

Aboard commercial airliners twenty registrations of the ozone concentration of the upper troposphere were carried out within a period of 14 months between Europe and South Africa. Nearly each of these meridional ozone profiles shows an approximately constant ozone content between 25°S and 25°N with a pronounced seasonal variation. Most of these profiles show two marked peaks of the ozone concentration at about 30°N and between 40° and 45°N. Though the number of these registrations is not sufficient for statistical computations, the first results confirm the meridional ozone distribution, which was expected from studies with ozone-radiosonde soundings. Moreover a strong asymmetry of the northern and southern hemisphere is confirmed by these ozone measurements.     

Variability in the vertical distribution of ozone over a subtropical site in India during a winter month

Six sets of electrochemical ozonesondes along with radiosondes were launched during 11–29 December 2004 from Kanpur (26.03N, 80.04E). Large variabilities in the vertical distribution of ozone have been observed during the campaign period. Higher ozone levels as compared to the average of all the profiles during this period have been observed in the height ranges of 3–7 and 10–18 km on December 18 and 25, respectively. Ozone levels in the 11–14 km range were observed to be much lower on December 29. These events have been analyzed in detail using meteorological parameters, back trajectories and potential vorticity. Higher ozone on December 18 may be associated with lateral transport from Africa and Gulf countries, where higher CO had been observed along the trajectory path. However, on December 25, enhanced ozone layers could be associated with transport from the stratosphere. Potential vorticity data suggest that a jet stream from midlatitude was approaching this location along the isentropic surface (350 K) towards the southeast direction. The lower ozone observed on December 29 originated from the marine region near the equator. These sharp changes in this period reflecting changing meteorology have given evidence of transport of ozone from different regions including stratospheric intrusion.     

The gutenberg-richter law for earthquakes in air pollution episodes: A case study for Athens, Greece

The main aim of this study is to investigate whether the main components of the photochemical smog episodes over megacities obey the Gaussian distribution or do they follow the distribution of the Gutenberg-Richter law. To this end, a case study has been implemented for Athens, Greece, which is among the most densely populated capitals in the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. The data employed are hourly mean values of surface ozone and nitrogen dioxide concentrations collected by the National Air Pollution Monitoring Network during the period 1988–2008. The results obtained show that the surface ozone and nitrogen dioxide concentrations obey the Gutenberg-Richter law, while their extreme values follow the Generalized Pareto distribution. This finding is important for current efforts to reliably forecast the air pollutants concentrations and to quantify their contribution to climate change. Finally, the plausible mechanisms involved in air pollution dynamics leading to the above-mentioned behaviour are also discussed, assuming the air pollution system governed by non-linear processes.     

Ozone distribution over Mediterranean,central and southeast Europe during the International Quiet Sun Year (1964–1965)

Summary Ozone observations made during 1964 and 1965 at nine Mediterranean, central and southeast European stations (latitudes 38–52°N, longitudes 9–23°E) reveal patterns of seasonal and shorter time-variations in total ozone as well as in vertical ozone distribution. During the winter-spring season, a significant increase (20%) of ozone occurs essentially simultaneously with the spring stratospheric warming, and is noticed at all stations.—Autocorrelation coefficients show that the total ozone on any day is strongly related to the total ozone of the preceding four days in summer or one or two days in winter-spring or autumn. Changes of total ozone in southeast Europe correlate closely with those in Mediterranean Europe, and less closely with those from north central Europe.—Power spectrum analysis detects the dependence of ozone changes on processes with periods longer than 6–8 days, and indicates a significant oscillation with a period of 14–15 days, perhaps a result of the direct influence of lower stratospheric circumhemispheric circulation. — Reliable vertical ozone soundings were not available from all stations. The mean vertical profiles at Arosa, Switzerland (47°N) and Belsk, Poland (51°) are very similar. More than 60% of the variability of the total ozone is contributed by changes in ozone concentration between 10 and 24 km; less than 10% is due to variations above 33 km. Changes in ozone partial pressure at different altitudes, and relationships of those changes to total ozone, indicates that a mean vertical ozone distribution may be described adequately by considering the ozone changes in four layers: a) the troposphere, b) the lower stratosphere up to 24 km, c) a transition layer from 24 km to a variable upper border at 33–37 km, and d) the layer above 33–37 km.Part of this paper was presented at the Ozone Seminar in Potsdam, Germany, 27 September 1966.     

北太平洋上空臭氧总量长期变化趋势及其影响因素分析

本文基于1979—2014年臭氧总量的卫星遥感数据,利用多元线性回归模型对臭氧总量数据序列进行模拟计算,考察了北太平洋上空臭氧总量长期变化趋势及其影响因素的作用.结果表明,北太平洋地区大气臭氧总量长期变化呈现减少趋势,但是减少速率随季节和纬度带表现出差异性,在各纬度带臭氧峰值季节臭氧下降趋势最为显著.在0°—15°N地区臭氧高值出现在夏秋季节并在8月达到峰值,峰值月份臭氧年均下降率约为0.2DU/a;15°—30°N亚热带地区臭氧高值出现在春夏季并在5月达到峰值,峰值月份臭氧年均下降速率约为0.22DU/a;而在30°—45°N中纬度地区臭氧高值出现在冬春季并在2月达到峰值,峰值月份臭氧年均下降率0.75DU/a.在臭氧分布年平均态基础上,影响臭氧总量分布变化的因素主要有臭氧损耗物质(EESC)、太阳辐射周期(Solar)、准两年振荡(QBO)和厄尔尼诺-南方涛动(ENSO)等.其中,EESC导致臭氧损耗效应随着纬度升高而增大,在从低到高的三个纬度带损耗最大值分别为11DU、16DU和66DU;Solar增强导致臭氧增加,在三个纬度带的增加效应最大值分别为16DU、17DU和19DU;QBO@10hPa和QBO@30hPa对臭氧影响幅度基本在±10DU内波动,只有QBO@10hPa对30°—45°N区域的影响作用达到14DU,值得注意的是QBO影响作用随着纬度变化存在相位差异,在0°—15°N区域臭氧变化与QBO呈现相同相位,而在15°—30°N和30°—45°N区域臭氧变化与QBO呈现相反相位;ENSO对各个纬度带臭氧影响幅度也在±10DU内,ENSO影响作用在不同纬度带也存在相位差异,臭氧总量变化在0°—15°N、15°—30°N区域与ENSO相位相反,在30°—45°N区域与ENSO相位一致.     

Annual and semiannual oscillations of stratospheric ozone

The global structures of annual oscillation (AO) and semiannual oscillation (SAO) of stratospheric ozone are examined by applying spherical harmonic analysis to the ozone data obtained from the Nimbus-7 solar backscattered UV-radiation (SBUV) measurements for the period November 1978 to October 1980. Significant features of the results are: (1) while the stratospheric ozone AO is prevalent only in the polar regions, the ozone SAO prevails both in the equatorial and polar stratospheres; (2) the vertical distribution of the equatorial ozone SAO has a broad maximum of the order of 0.5 (mixing ratio in g/g) and the maximum appears earlier at high altitude (shifting from May [and November] at 0.3 mb [60 km] to November [and May] at 40 mb); (3) above the 40 km level, the maximum of the polar ozone SAO shifts upward towards later phase with altitude with a rate of approximately 10 km/month in both hemispheres; (4) vertical distributions of the polar ozone AOs and SAOs show two peaks in amplitude with a minimum (nodal layer) in between and a rapid phase change with altitude takes place in the respective nodal layers; and (5) the heights of the ozone AO- and SAO-peaks decrease with latitude. The main part of AOs and SAOs of stratospheric ozone including hemispheric asymmetries is ascribable to: (i) temperature dependent ozone photochemistry in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere, (ii) variations of radiation field in the lower stratosphere affected by the annual cycle of solar illumination and temperature in the upper stratosphere and (iii) meridional ozone transport by dynamical processes in the lower stratosphere.     

Regression analysis of biologically effective integrated irradiances versus ozone,clouds and geometric factors

Factors affecting UV radiation at the earth’s surface include the solar zenith angle, earth–sun distance, clouds, aerosols, altitude, ozone and the ground’s albedo. The variation of some factors, such as solar zenith angle and earth–sun distance, is well established. Total column ozone and UV radiation are inversely related, but the presence of clouds may affect the resulting UV in such a way that a depletion in the total column ozone may not always lead to an increase in the radiation at the earth’s surface. The aim of this paper is to determine the contribution to the variation of the biologically effective irradiance by geometric factors, clouds and ozone, jointly and separately, in Ushuaia (54°49′S, 68°19′W, sea level), and the seasonal variation of this relationship, given the magnitude and seasonal distribution of the ozone depletion and the frequent presence of high cloud cover in this site. For this purpose, multivariate and simple regression analyses of daily and monthly integrated irradiances weighted by the DNA damage action spectrum as a function of total column ozone and the integrated irradiances in the band 337–342 nm (as a proxy for cloud cover and geometric factors) have been performed. For the analysed period (September 1989–December 1996) more than 97% of the variation of the DNA damage weighted daily integrated irradiances is described by changes in ozone, clouds and geometric factors. Simple regression analysis for daily integrated irradiances, grouped by month, shows that most of this variation is explained by clouds and geometric factors, except in spring, when strong ozone depletion occurs intermittently over this area. When monthly trends are removed, similar results are observed, except for late winter.     

Representativeness of total ozone trends as derived from satellite BUV and ground-based measurements

The information content of the 7-year BUV data set has been reexamined by a comparison with a fairly large set of ground Dobson and M-83 instruments. The satellite-ground intercomparison of total ozone was done under different types of ground observation techniques (observation code) and different instrument exposure (exposure code) and for various distances of the subsatellite point from the station. Because of the existing latitudinal gradient in total ozone, at a given station the bias ground-BUV tends to be smaller when the subsatellite point is at a latitude higher than the station's latitude. Knowing the total ozone gradient at a given station, the BUV total ozone has been corrected to account for the ozone gradient and the correlation was calculated with the corresponding ground observations. These correlations seem to offer no improvement when compared with the correlations between the ground ozone and the actual BUV ozone at distances of the subsatellite point from the station within 200 km from the station used in previous studies. The seasonal variation of the BUV-ground correlation reveals information on the noise level of the measurements and the geographical distribution of the percentage mean bias: (Ground-BUV)×100/(Ground) is discussed. Both on short and on longer time scales it appears that the BUV derived recommended total ozone data set is reasonably good and possible instrumental drifts are not large. The analysis includes an extension through April 1977 of the BUV and contour-derived total ozone trends byLondon andLing (1980). Over the northern hemisphere both data sets (contour and BUV) show comparable trends over middle and high latitudes which range from –3 D.U./year to –5 D.U./year during the 7-year period April 1970–April 1977. In the southern hemisphere, however, long-term variation in total ozone cannot be determined from ground observations alone. It is concluded that for unknown reasons during the 7-year period of study, total ozone has been decreasing over most of the globe. The negative growth rates at high latitudes of the northern hemisphere are highly significant.     

Total ozone response to major geomagnetic storms and changes in meteorological situations

Summary The total ozone response to strong major geomagnetic storms (A_p≥60) in winter along the 50° N latitudinal circle is studied. The results add to the recent results of Laštovička et al. (1992) obtained for European middle latitudes (∼50°N) and to the results of Mlch (1994). A significant response of total ozone is only observed in winter under high solar activity/E-phase of QBO conditions (E-max) and seems to be caused by geomagnetic storm-induced changes of atmospheric dynamics. There are two sectors along latitude 50°N, which are sensitive to forcing by geomagnetic storms both in total ozone and the troposphere — north-eastern Atlantic-European and eastern Siberia-Aleutian sectors. The total ozone response under E-max conditions manifests itself mainly as a large decrease in the longitudinal variation of ozone after the storm, which means an increase of ozone in Europe. The observed effects in total ozone consist in redistribution, not production or loss of ozone.     

Predicting ground-level ozone concentrations by adaptive Bayesian model averaging of statistical seasonal models

While seasonal time-varying models should generally be used to predict the daily concentration of ground-level ozone given its strong seasonal cycles, the sudden switching of models according to their designated period in an annual operational forecasting system may affect their performance, especially during the season’s transitional period in which the starting date and duration time can vary from year to year. This paper studies the effectiveness of an adaptive Bayesian Model Averaging scheme with the support of a transitional prediction model in solving the problem. The scheme continuously evaluates the probabilities of all the ozone prediction models (ozone season, nonozone season, and the transitional period) in a forecasting system, which are then used to provide a weighted average forecast. The scheme has been adopted in predicting the daily maximum of 8-h averaged ozone concentration in Macau for a period of 2 years (2008 and 2009), with results proved to be satisfactory.     

Statistical characteristics of the vertical ozone distribution in mid-latitudes

Summary The correlation matrix for the vertical ozone distribution and the temperature-ozone cross-correlation matrix, which was calculated from ozone soundings made over Berlin between 1967 and 1970, the statistical structure of the vertical ozone profile (correlation coefficients, average profiles, average standard deviation, relative variability) was derived for the three ozone seasons. The partial ozone pressure does not at all heights follow a normal distribution (e. g. at tropopause level). Generally, the correlation between tropospheric and stratospheric ozone is rather poor. In some layers the highest correlation coefficients, i.e. –0.3 and +0.4, occur in autumn (October to December) and in winter and spring (January to April). The correlation between the ozone amounts of various stratospheric layers is distinct in autumn, less distinct in summer (May to September) and entirely missing from January to April. Conspicuous cross-correlations between temperature and ozone have been found for all three seasons. a) With a negative correlation between tropospheric temperature and middle tropospheric to middle stratospheric ozone (maximum up to –0.8); b) with a rather strong positive correlation between the ozone amount and the temperature in the lower stratosphere (maximum up to +0.84); c) with a positive correlation between the ozone amount of the middle stratosphere and the temperature of the middle stratosphere (maximum up to +0.8). The highest correlation coefficients occur in autumn.     

近30年北半球冬季臭氧总量分布特征及其与平流层温度的关系

臭氧的时空分布特征对气候和环境变化具有显著影响,随着臭氧资料数量的增加和质量的提高,有必要对臭氧时空分布特征及其与气候变化的关系进行详细研究.本文利用欧洲中期天气预报中心提供的1979—2013年的全球月平均臭氧总量资料、平流层温度场资料,采用旋转经验正交函数分解(REOF)、Morlet小波分析、合成分析等方法研究了20°N以北的北半球冬季(12—2月)臭氧总量异常的主要空间分布结构与时间演变特征,并进一步分析了主要模态与平流层上层(2hPa)、中层(30hPa)以及下层(100hPa)温度异常的关系.结果表明:近30年北半球冬季臭氧总量异常变化最显著的区域主要有5个,分别位于极地地区(75°N—90°N,0°—360°)、北半球副热带地区(20°N—40°N,0°—360°)、阿拉斯加地区(60°N—75°N,180°—260°E)、北大西洋地区(45°N—60°N,310°E—360°E)及西伯利亚地区(50°N—65°N,80°E—130°E).5个区域的冬季臭氧总量异常具有明显的年际和年代际变化特征.1980年代后期是各个区域的臭氧总量异常由年代际偏多转为偏少的转换时段.此外,各区域存在显著的年际变化周期,而且各个区域的年际周期存在明显的差异.臭氧总量异常变化与平流层温度异常变化的关系表明,臭氧总量异常的增加(减少)能够导致平流层上层温度异常偏冷(暖)和平流层中、下层温度异常偏暖(冷),其中平流层中层温度异常的偏暖(冷)程度要比下层更加明显.     

Six years of regular ozone soundings over Switzerland

Summary The mean vertical ozone distribution as a function of season is computed from almost 6 years of regular soundings (three times per week) over Switzerland. By comparing the concurrent mean values of the total amount with the 35-year average at Arosa, and by using the correlation between ozone concentration at different levels with the total amount, adjusted values for the seasonal variation of the vertical ozone distribution are obtained which are thought to give a better representation of the long-term climatological mean. The data show a prominent biennial variation of the ozone content around the level of the maximum concentration which does not, however, show up in the total amount because it is missing in the lower stratosphere.