Geoscientific Instrumentation Methods and Data Systems Consistent circulation differences in the Southern Hemisphere caused by ozone changes: a chemistry-climate model and observational study

  • Braesicke P
  • Keeble J
  • Yang X
  • et al.
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Abstract

We report results from two pairs of chemistry-climate model simulations using the same climate model but different chemical perturbations. In each pair of experiments an ozone change was triggered by a simple change in the chemistry. One pair of model experiments looked at the impact of Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs) and 5 the other pair at the impact of short lived halogenated species on composition and cir-culation. The model response is complex with both positive and negative changes in ozone concentration, depending on location. These changes result from coupling be-tween composition, temperature and circulation. Even though the causes of the mod-elled ozone changes are different, the high latitude Southern Hemisphere response 10 in the lower stratosphere is similar. In both pairs of experiments the high latitude circulation changes, as evidenced by N 2 O differences, suggesting a slightly longer-lasting/stronger stratospheric descent in runs with higher ozone destruction. We con-trast the idealised model behaviour with interannual variability in ozone and N 2 O as observed by the MIPAS instrument on ENVISAT, highlighting the similarity of the mod-15 elled climate equilibrium changes to the year 2006/2007 in observations. We conclude that the climate system can respond quite sensitively to small chemical perturbations, that circulation adjustments seen in the model can occur in reality, and that coupled chemistry-climate models are needed for an assessment of future ozone and climate changes.

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Braesicke, P., Keeble, J., Yang, X., Stiller, G., Kellmann, S., Abraham, N. L., … Pyle, J. A. (2013). Geoscientific Instrumentation Methods and Data Systems Consistent circulation differences in the Southern Hemisphere caused by ozone changes: a chemistry-climate model and observational study. Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss, 13, 8455–8487. Retrieved from www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/13/8455/2013/

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