Numerical Modeling of Ozone Loss in the Exceptional Arctic Stratosphere Winter–Spring of 2020

Abstract

Dynamical processes and changes in the ozone layer in the Arctic stratosphere during the winter of 2019–2020 were analyzed using numerical experiments with a chemistry-transport model (CTM) and reanalysis data. The results of numerical calculations using CTM with Dynamic parameters specified from the Modern Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2) reanalysis data, carried out according to several scenarios of accounting for the chemical destruction of ozone, demonstrated that both Dynamic and chemical processes contribute significantly to ozone changes over the selected World Ozone and Ultraviolet Radiation Data Centre network stations, both in the Eastern and in the Western hemispheres. Based on numerical experiments with the CTM, the specific Dynamic conditions of winter–spring 2019–2020 described a decrease in ozone up to 100 Dobson Units (DU) in the Eastern Hemisphere and over 150 DU in the Western Hemisphere. In this case, the photochemical destruction of ozone in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres at a maximum was about 50 DU with peaks in April in the Eastern Hemisphere and in March and April in the Western Hemisphere. Heterogeneous activation of halogen gases on the surface of polar stratospheric clouds, on the one hand, led to a sharp increase in the destruction of ozone in chlorine and bromine catalytic cycles, and, on the other hand, decreased its destruction in nitrogen catalytic cycles. Analysis of wave activity using 3D Plumb fluxes showed that the enhancement of upward wave activity propagation in the middle of March over the Gulf of Alaska was observed during the development stage of the minor sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event that led to displacement of the stratospheric polar vortex to the north of Canada and decrease of polar stratospheric clouds’ volume.

Stratospheric Warming Events in the Period January–March 2023 and Their Impact on Stratospheric Ozone in the Northern Hemisphere

“…The analysis of the spatial and altitudinal distribution of stratospheric ozone is based on the assimilated data from MERRA2-Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) [29][30][31].…”

Measurements and Modelling of Total Ozone Columns near St. Petersburg, Russia

“…Three passive satellite techniques of TOC estimation have been actively used in the last several decades. The methods are based on atmospheric transparency to direct solar radiation (AT), thermal radiation emitted by Earth (TR) and reflected and scattered solar radiation (RS) [31][32][33][34][35]. These techniques can be applied to satellite observations using nadir and limb geometries.…”

Arctic Stratosphere Circulation Changes in the 21st Century in Simulations of INM CM5

“…Stratospheric processes modify the dynamic processes and chemical composition of the upper atmosphere (e.g., [10,11]) and determine the ozone depletion [2,6]. In winters, with a stable, cold stratospheric polar vortex, a strong ozone depletion is observed, such as in the Arctic spring of 2011 [12] and 2020 (e.g., [13][14][15][16][17]).…”