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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 35, L07806, doi:10.1029/2007GL032698, 2008

Sensitivity of Southern Hemisphere climate to zonal asymmetry in ozone

Julia A. Crook

Climatic Research Unit, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK


Nathan P. Gillett

Climatic Research Unit, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK


Sarah P. E. Keeley

Climatic Research Unit, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Reading, UK


Abstract

Climate model simulations of past and future climate invariably contain prescribed zonal mean stratospheric ozone. While the effects of zonal asymmetry in ozone have been examined in the Northern Hemisphere, much greater zonal asymmetry occurs in the Southern Hemisphere during the break up of the Antarctic ozone hole. We prescribe a realistic three-dimensional distribution of ozone in a high vertical resolution atmospheric model and compare results with a simulation containing zonal mean ozone. Prescribing the three dimensional ozone distribution results in a cooling of the stratosphere and upper troposphere comparable to that caused by ozone depletion itself. Our results suggest that changes in the zonal asymmetry of ozone have had important impacts on Southern Hemisphere climate, and will continue to do so in the future.

Received 16 November 2007; accepted 27 February 2008; published 3 April 2008.

Keywords: stratospheric ozone; zonal asymmetry; Southern Hemisphere climate.

Index Terms: 3305 Atmospheric Processes: Climate change and variability (1616, 1635, 3309, 4215, 4513); 3337 Atmospheric Processes: Global climate models (1626, 4928); 3334 Atmospheric Processes: Middle atmosphere dynamics (0341, 0342); 0340 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Middle atmosphere: composition and chemistry.

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Citation: Crook, J. A., N. P. Gillett, and S. P. E. Keeley (2008), Sensitivity of Southern Hemisphere climate to zonal asymmetry in ozone, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L07806, doi:10.1029/2007GL032698.