scholarly journals Why unprecedented ozone loss in the Arctic in 2011? Is it related to climatic change?

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 311-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-P. Pommereau ◽  
F. Goutail ◽  
F. Lefèvre ◽  
A. Pazmino ◽  
C. Adams ◽  
...  

Abstract. An unprecedented ozone loss occurred in the Arctic in spring 2011. The details of the event are re-visited from the twice-daily total ozone and NO2 columns measurements of the eight SAOZ/NDACC (Système d'Analyse par Observation Zénitale/Network for Detection of Atmospheric Composition Changes) stations in the Arctic. It is shown that the total ozone depletion in the polar vortex reached 38% (approx. 170 DU) by the end of March that is larger than the 30% of the previous record in 1996. Asides from the long extension of the cold stratospheric NAT PSC period, the amplitude of the event is shown to be resulting from a record daily total ozone loss rate of 0.7% day−1 after mid-February, never seen before in the Arctic but similar to that observed in the Antarctic over the last 20 yr. This high loss rate is attributed to the absence of NOx in the vortex until the final warming, in contrast to all previous winters where, as shown by the early increase of NO2 diurnal increase, partial renoxification is occurring by import of NOx or HNO3 from the outside after minor warming episodes, leading to partial chlorine deactivation. The cause of the absence of renoxification and thus of high loss rate, is attributed to a vortex strength similar to that of the Antarctic but never seen before in the Arctic. The total ozone reduction on 20 March was identical to that of the 2002 Antarctic winter, which ended around 20 September, and a 15-day extension of the cold period would have been enough to reach the mean yearly amplitude of the Antarctic ozone hole. However there is no sign of trend since 1994, neither in PSC volume, early winter denitrification, late vortex renoxification, and vortex strength nor in total ozone loss. The unprecedented large Arctic ozone loss in 2011 appears to resulting from an extreme meteorological event and there is no indication of possible strengthening related to climate change.

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5299-5308 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-P. Pommereau ◽  
F. Goutail ◽  
F. Lefèvre ◽  
A. Pazmino ◽  
C. Adams ◽  
...  

Abstract. An unprecedented ozone loss occurred in the Arctic in spring 2011. The details of the event are revisited from the twice-daily total ozone and NO2 column measurements of the eight SAOZ/NDACC (Système d'Analyse par Observation Zénithale/Network for Detection of Atmospheric Composition Changes) stations in the Arctic. It is shown that the total ozone depletion in the polar vortex reached 38% (approx. 170 DU) by the end of March, which is larger than the 30% of the previous record in 1996. Aside from the long extension of the cold stratospheric NAT PSC period, the amplitude of the event is shown to be resulting from a record daily total ozone loss rate of 0.7% d−1 after mid-February, never seen before in the Arctic but similar to that observed in the Antarctic over the last 20 yr. This high loss rate is attributed to the absence of NOx in the vortex until the final warming, in contrast to all previous winters where, as shown by the early increase of NO2 diurnal increase, partial renoxification occurs by import of NOx or HNO3 from the outside after minor warming episodes, leading to partial chlorine deactivation. The cause of the absence of renoxification and thus of high loss rate, is attributed to a vortex strength similar to that of the Antarctic but never seen before in the Arctic. The total ozone reduction on 20 March was identical to that of the 2002 Antarctic winter, which ended around 20 September, and a 15-day extension of the cold period would have been enough to reach the mean yearly amplitude of the Antarctic ozone hole. However there is no sign of trend since 1994, either in PSC (polar stratospheric cloud) volume (volume of air cold enough to allow formation of PSCs), early winter denitrification, late vortex renoxification, and vortex strength or in total ozone loss. The unprecedented large Arctic ozone loss in 2011 appears to result from an extreme meteorological event and there is no indication of possible strengthening related to climate change.


2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Müller ◽  
J.-U. Grooß ◽  
C. Lemmen ◽  
D. Heinze ◽  
M. Dameris ◽  
...  

Abstract. We investigate the extent to which quantities that are based on total column ozone are applicable as measures of ozone loss in the polar vortices. Such quantities have been used frequently in ozone assessments by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and also to assess the performance of chemistry-climate models. The most commonly considered quantities are March and October mean column ozone poleward of geometric latitude 63° and the spring minimum of daily total ozone minima poleward of a given latitude. Particularly in the Arctic, the former measure is affected by vortex variability and vortex break-up in spring. The minimum of daily total ozone minima poleward of a particular latitude is debatable, insofar as it relies on one single measurement or model grid point. We find that, for Arctic conditions, this minimum value often occurs in air outside the polar vortex, both in the observations and in a chemistry-climate model. Neither of the two measures shows a good correlation with chemical ozone loss in the vortex deduced from observations. We recommend that the minimum of daily minima should no longer be used when comparing polar ozone loss in observations and models. As an alternative to the March and October mean column polar ozone we suggest considering the minimum of daily average total ozone poleward of 63° equivalent latitude in spring (except for winters with an early vortex break-up). Such a definition both obviates relying on one single data point and reduces the impact of year-to-year variability in the Arctic vortex break-up on ozone loss measures. Further, this measure shows a reasonable correlation (r=–0.75) with observed chemical ozone loss. Nonetheless, simple measures of polar ozone loss must be used with caution; if possible, it is preferable to use more sophisticated measures that include additional information to disentangle the impact of transport and chemistry on ozone.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 6555-6599 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Sonkaew ◽  
C. von Savigny ◽  
K.-U. Eichmann ◽  
M. Weber ◽  
A. Rozanov ◽  
...  

Abstract. Stratospheric ozone profiles are retrieved for the period 2002–2009 from SCIAMACHY measurements of limb-scattered solar radiation in the Hartley and Chappuis absorption bands of ozone. This data set is used to determine the chemical ozone loss in both the Arctic and Antarctic polar vortices using the vortex average method. The chemical ozone loss at isentropic levels between 450 K and 600 K is derived from the difference between observed ozone abundances and the ozone modelled considering diabatic cooling, but no chemical ozone loss. The results show chemical ozone losses of up to 20–40% between the beginning of January and the end of March inside the Arctic polar vortex. Strong inter-annual variability of the Arctic ozone loss is observed, with the cold winters 2004/2005 and 2006/2007 showing the largest chemical ozone losses. The ozone mass loss inside the polar vortex is also estimated. In the coldest Arctic winter 2004/2005 the total ozone mass loss is about 30 million tons inside the polar vortex between the 450 K and 600 K isentropic levels from the beginning of January until the end of March. The Antarctic vortex averaged ozone loss as well as the size of the polar vortex do not vary much from year to year. At the 475 K isentropic level ozone losses of 70–80% between mid-August and mid-November are observed every year inside the vortex, also in the anomalous year 2002. The total ozone mass loss inside the Antarctic polar vortex between the 450 K and 600 K isentropic levels is about 55–75 million tons for the period between mid-August and mid-November. Comparisons of the vertical variation of ozone loss derived from SCIAMACHY observations with several independent techniques for the Arctic winter 2004/2005 show very good agreement.


2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 332-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. C. Roldugin ◽  
M. I. Beloglazov ◽  
G. F. Remenets

Abstract. Eight periods of relativistic electron precipitation (REP) with electron energies of more than 300 keV are identified from VLF data (10-14 kHz) monitored along the Aldra (Norway) - Apatity (Kola peninsula) radio trace. In these cases, anomalous ionization below 55-50 km occurred without disturbing the higher layers of the ionosphere. The daily total ozone values in Murmansk for six days before and six days after the REP events are compared. In seven of eight events a decrease in the total ozone of about 20 DU is observed. In one event of 25 March, 1986, the mean total ozone value for six days before the REP is bigger than that for six days after, but this a case of an extremely high ozone increase (144 DU during the six days). However, on days 3 and 4 there was a minimum of about 47 DU with regard to REP days, so this case also confirms the concept of the ozone decrease after REP. The difference between mean ozone values for periods six days before and six days after the REPs was found also for 23 points in Arctic on TOMS data. The difference was negative only in Murmansk longitudinal sector. Along the meridian of the trace it was negative at high latitudes in both hemispheres and was near zero at low latitudes.Key words: Atmospheric composition and structure (middle atmosphere - composition and chemistry) - Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (polar meteorology)


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1809-1835 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Sonkaew ◽  
C. von Savigny ◽  
K.-U. Eichmann ◽  
M. Weber ◽  
A. Rozanov ◽  
...  

Abstract. Stratospheric ozone profiles are retrieved for the period 2002–2009 from SCIAMACHY measurements of limb-scattered solar radiation in the Hartley and Chappuis absorption bands of ozone. This data set is used to determine the chemical ozone losses in both the Arctic and Antarctic polar vortices by averaging the ozone in the vortex at a given potential temperature. The chemical ozone losses at isentropic levels between 450 K and 600 K are derived from the difference between observed ozone abundances and the ozone modelled taking diabatic cooling into account, but no chemical ozone loss. Chemical ozone losses of up to 30–40% between mid-January and the end of March inside the Arctic polar vortex are reported. Strong inter-annual variability of the Arctic ozone loss is observed, with the cold winters 2004/2005 and 2006/2007 showing chemical ozone losses inside the polar vortex at 475 K, where 1.7 ppmv and 1.4 ppmv of ozone were removed, respectively, over the period from 22 January to beginning of April and 0.9 ppmv and 1.2 ppmv, respectively, during February. For the winters of 2007/2008 and 2002/2003, ozone losses of about 0.8 ppmv and 0.4 ppmv, respectively are estimated at the 475 K isentropic level for the period from 22 January to beginning of April. Essentially no ozone losses were diagnosed for the relatively warm winters of 2003/2004 and 2005/2006. The maximum ozone loss in the SCIAMACHY data set was found in 2007 at the 600 K level and amounted to about 2.1 ppmv for the period between 22 January and the end of April. Enhanced losses close to this altitude were found in all investigated Arctic springs, in contrast to Antarctic spring. The inter-annual variability of ozone losses and PSC occurrence rates observed during Arctic spring is consistent with the known QBO effects on the Arctic polar vortex, with exception of the unusual Arctic winter 2008/2009. The maximum total ozone mass loss of about 25 million tons was found in the cold Arctic winter of 2004/2005 inside the polar vortex between the 450 K and 600 K isentropic levels from mid-January until the middle of March. The Antarctic vortex averaged ozone loss as well as the size of the polar vortex do not vary much from year to year. The total ozone mass loss inside the Antarctic polar vortex between the 450 K and 600 K isentropic levels is about 50–60 million tons and the vortex volume for this altitude range varies between about 150 and 300 km3 for the period between mid-August and mid-November of every year studied, except for 2002. In 2002 a mid-winter major stratospheric warming occurred in the second half of September and the ozone mass loss was only about half of the value in the other years. However, inside the polar vortex we find chemical ozone losses at the 475 K isentropic level that are similar to those in all other years studied. At this isentropic level ozone losses of 70–90% between mid-August and mid-November or about 2.5 ppmv are observed every year. At isentropic levels above 500 K the chemical ozone losses were found to be larger in 2002 than in all other years studied. Comparisons of the vertical variation of ozone losses derived from SCIAMACHY observations with several independent techniques for the Arctic winter 2004/2005 show that the SCIAMACHY results fall in the middle of the range of previously published results for this winter. For other winters in both hemispheres – for which comparisons with other studies were possible – the SCIAMACHY results are consistent with the range of previously published results.


2014 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 338-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
GR. Winck ◽  
P. Almeida-Santos ◽  
CFD. Rocha

In this study we attempted to access further information on the geographical distribution of the endangered lizard Liolaemus lutzae, estimating its potential distribution through the maximum entropy algorithm. For this purpose, we related its points of occurrence with matrices of environmental variables. After examining the correlation between environmental matrices, we selected 10 for model construction. The main variables influencing the current geographic distribution of L. lutzae were the diurnal temperature range and altitude. The species endemism seemed to be a consequence of a reduction of the original distribution area. Alternatively, the resulting model may reflect the geographic distribution of an ancestral lineage, since the model selected areas of occurrence of the two other species of Liolaemus from Brazil (L. arambarensis and L. occipitalis), all living in sand dune habitats and having psamophilic habits. Due to the high loss rate of habitat occupied by the species, the conservation and recovery of the remaining areas affected by human actions is essential.


2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 693-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. von Hobe ◽  
J.-U. Grooß ◽  
R. Müller ◽  
S. Hrechanyy ◽  
U. Winkler ◽  
...  

Abstract. In-situ measurements of ClO and its dimer carried out during the SOLVE II/VINTERSOL-EUPLEX and ENVISAT Validation campaigns in the Arctic winter 2003 suggest that the thermal equilibrium between the dimer formation and dissociation is shifted significantly towards the monomer compared to the current JPL 2002 recommendation. Detailed analysis of observations made in thermal equilibrium allowed to re-evaluate the magnitude and temperature dependence of the equilibrium constant. A fit of the JPL format for equilibrium constants yields KEQ=3.61x10-27exp(8167/T), but to reconcile the observations made at low temperatures with the existing laboratory studies at room temperature, a modified equation, KEQ=5.47x10-25(T/300)-2.29exp(6969/T), is required. This format can be rationalised by a strong temperature dependence of the reaction enthalpy possibly induced by Cl2O2 isomerism effects. At stratospheric temperatures, both equations are practically equivalent. Using the equilibrium constant reported here rather than the JPL 2002 recommendation in atmospheric models does not have a large impact on simulated ozone loss. Solely at large zenith angles after sunrise, a small decrease of the ozone loss rate due to the ClO dimer cycle and an increase due to the ClO-BrO cycle (attributed to the enhanced equilibrium ClO concentrations) is observed, the net effect being a slightly stronger ozone loss rate.


2014 ◽  
Vol 926-930 ◽  
pp. 4138-4141
Author(s):  
Lei Lei Wang ◽  
Wen Su Xu

Hotels have offered a large number of employment opportunities for society as one of rapid development industries in our country. Whereas hotels face threat from the high loss rate of personnel' demission that even exceeds expected numerical value,as a result,loss directly influences the sustainable development of enterprises. This paper describes the status and characteristic of loss of hotels employees according to the investigation datum of personnel' demission interview in one hotel of Shenzhen,and dissects the main reason why employees leave their posts by adopting Maslow’s demand level theory.


2003 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 395-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-U. Grooß ◽  
R. Müller

Abstract. Current stratospheric chemical model simulations underestimate substantially the large ozone loss rates that are derived for the Arctic from ozone sondes for January of some years. Until now, no explanation for this discrepancy has been found. Here, we examine the influence of intrusions of mid-latitude air into the polar vortex on these ozone loss estimates. This study focuses on the winter 1991/92, because during this winter the discrepancy between simulated and experimentally derived ozone loss rates is reported to be the largest. Also during the considered period the vortex was disturbed by a strong warming event with large-scale intrusions of mid-latitude air into the polar vortex, which is quite unusual for this time of the year. The study is based on simulations performed with the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS). Two methods for determination the ozone loss are investigated, the so-called vortex average approach and the Match method. The simulations for January 1992 show that the intrusions induce a reduction of vortex average ozone mixing ratio corresponding to a systematic offset of the ozone loss rate of about 12 ppb per day. This should be corrected for in the vortex average method. The simulations further suggest, that these intrusions do not cause a significant bias for the Match method due to effective quality control measures in the Match technique.


2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 665-677 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Goutail ◽  
J.-P. Pommereau ◽  
F. Lefèvre ◽  
M. van Roozendael ◽  
S. B. Andersen ◽  
...  

Abstract. Ozone loss during the winter 2002/2003 has been evaluated from comparisons between total ozone reported by the SAOZ network and simulated in passive mode by both REPROBUS and SLIMCAT. Despite the fact that the two models have a different approach to calculate the descent inside vortex, both evaluations provide similar results 18±4% using REPROBUS and 20±4% using SLIMCAT and show that the loss started around mid-December, at least ten to twenty days earlier than during any of the previous eleven winters, except 1993/1994. This unusual behaviour is consistent with the low temperatures reported in the stratosphere as well to the signature of early chlorine activation indicated by ground-based, balloon and satellite observations. A significant ozone loss is also simulated by the current versions of two models, but of lesser amplitude compared to SAOZ, 13±2% for REPROBUS and 16±2% for SLIMCAT, the underestimation being already observed by mid-January. The early ozone depletion captured by both model show that chemical depletion did indeed take place in December, predominantly at the illuminated edge of the distorted vortex, but the reason for the underestimation compared to the observations and the differences among the models have still to be investigated.


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