An observational study on the vertical distribution and synoptic variation of ozone in the arctic

Abstract

Arctic ozone is important to the Arctic climate and environment system. Studying the ozone distribution and variation is helpful for understanding the Arctic climate and environment and their impact on the global system, and for numerically forecasting climate and environment change. The Chinese Arctic Research Expedition 1999 made an ozone observation program possible over the Chukchi Sea in the Arctic Ocean. Ozone soundings on board the Chinese icebreaker “ Xuelong” (at 75°N, 160°W, 18-24 August 1999) made high-resolution vertical atmospheric structure and ozone distribution data available for studying ozone variation on a synoptic scale. Analysis of the observational data, the TOMS total ozone, and NCEP circulation, shows that the atmospheric ozone amount experienced a high-low-high variation with low-high-low tropopause altitude. The study shows a close relationship between the total ozone and the ozone below 13 km, while the variation in the maximum concentration at about 20 km does not show any relationship to the column ozone. A weak-strong-weak southwesterly pattern in the 500 hPa synoptic system may be responsible for a low ozone advection during this ozone variation.