Impact of the Antarctic Ozone Hole on the Vertical Coupling of the Stratosphere-Mesosphere-Lower Thermosphere System.

Lubis, Sandro Wellyanto, Omrani, Nour-Eddine, Matthes, Katja and Wahl, Sebastian (2016) Impact of the Antarctic Ozone Hole on the Vertical Coupling of the Stratosphere-Mesosphere-Lower Thermosphere System. Open Access Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 73 (6). pp. 2509-2528. DOI 10.1175/JAS-D-15-0189.1.

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Abstract

There is evidence that the strengthened stratospheric westerlies arising from the Antarctic ozone hole–induced cooling cause a polar mesospheric warming and a subsequent cooling in the lower thermosphere. While previous studies focus on the role of nonresolved (gravity) wave drag filtering, here the role of resolved (planetary) wave drag and radiative forcing on the Antarctic mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) is explored in detail. Using simulations with NCAR’s Community Earth System Model, version 1 (Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model) [CESM1(WACCM)], it is found that in late spring and early summer the anomalous polar mesospheric warming induced by easterly nonresolved wave drag is dampened by anomalous dynamical cooling induced by westerly resolved wave drag. This resolved wave drag is attributed to planetary-scale wave (k = 1–3) activity, which is generated in situ as a result of increased instability of the summer mesospheric easterly jet induced by the ozone hole. On the other hand, the anomalous cooling in the polar lower thermosphere induced by westerly nonresolved wave drag is enhanced by anomalous dynamical cooling due to westerly resolved wave drag. In addition, radiative effects from increased greenhouse gases during the ozone hole period contribute partially to the cooling in the polar lower thermosphere.

The polar MLT temperature response to the Antarctic ozone hole is, through thermal wind balance, accompanied by the downward migration of anomalous zonal-mean wind from the lower thermosphere to the stratopause. The results highlight that a proper accounting of both dynamical and radiative effects is required in order to correctly attribute the causes of the polar MLT response to the Antarctic ozone hole.

Document Type: Article
Additional Information: WOS:000379397300002
Keywords: Circulation/ Dynamics; Atmospheric circulation; Dynamics; Atm/Ocean Structure/ Phenomena; Middle atmosphere; Physical Meteorology and Climatology; Ozone; Radiative forcing; Models and modeling; Coupled models
Research affiliation: OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB1 Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics > FB1-ME Maritime Meteorology
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
Publisher: AMS (American Meteorological Society)
Projects: NATHAN
Date Deposited: 16 Mar 2016 14:06
Last Modified: 04 Aug 2020 09:21
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/31849

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