Comparisons between measurements and models of Antarctic ozone loss

Abstract

We present estimates of the chemical loss of lower stratospheric polar ozone during the Antarctic late winter directly from UARS Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) ozone measurements in 1992, 1993, and 1994. These agree to within a few percent with estimates of the chemical loss inferred from UARS MLS ClO measurements. Thus, our results support the current theories of polar O3-depleting chemistry, and we find no evidence for significant unknown chemistry during this period. Copyright 2001 by the American Geophysical Union.