Effect of zonal asymmetries in stratospheric ozone on simulated Southern Hemisphere climate trends

Stratospheric ozone is represented in most climate models by prescribing zonal‐mean fields. We examine the impact of this on Southern Hemisphere (SH) trends using a chemistry climate model (CCM): multi‐decadal simulations with interactive stratospheric chemistry are compared with parallel simulation...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical research letters 2009-09, Vol.36 (18), p.np-n/a
Main Authors: Waugh, D. W., Oman, L., Newman, P. A., Stolarski, R. S., Pawson, S., Nielsen, J. E., Perlwitz, J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antarctica
Approximation
Atmospheric chemistry
Atmospheric sciences
Climate
Climate change
Climate models
Computer simulation
Earth
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Ozone
Ozone depletion
Southern Hemisphere
Stratosphere
Trends
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Summary:Stratospheric ozone is represented in most climate models by prescribing zonal‐mean fields. We examine the impact of this on Southern Hemisphere (SH) trends using a chemistry climate model (CCM): multi‐decadal simulations with interactive stratospheric chemistry are compared with parallel simulations using the same model in which the zonal‐mean ozone is prescribed. Prescribing zonal‐mean ozone results in a warmer Antarctic stratosphere when there is a large ozone hole, with much smaller differences at other times. As a consequence, Antarctic temperature trends for 1960 to 2000 and 2000 to 2050 in the CCM are underestimated when zonal‐mean ozone is prescribed. The impacts of stratospheric changes on the tropospheric circulation (i.e., summertime trends in the SH annular mode) are also underestimated. This shows that SH trends related to ozone depletion and recovery are underestimated when interactions between stratospheric ozone and climate are approximated by an imposed zonal‐mean ozone field.
ISSN:0094-8276
1944-8007
DOI:10.1029/2009GL040419