Climate change favours large seasonal loss of Arctic ozone

Abstract Chemical loss of Arctic ozone due to anthropogenic halogens is driven by temperature, with more loss occurring during cold winters favourable for formation of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). We show that a positive, statistically significant rise in the local maxima of PSC formation pote...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature Communications
Main Authors: von der Gathen, Peter, Kivi, Rigel, Wohltmann, Ingo, Salawitch, Ross J., Rex, Markus
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Springer Science and Business Media LLC 2021
Subjects:
General Physics and Astronomy
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Chemistry
Arctic
Climate change
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24089-6
http://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-24089-6.pdf
http://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-24089-6
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Summary:Abstract Chemical loss of Arctic ozone due to anthropogenic halogens is driven by temperature, with more loss occurring during cold winters favourable for formation of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). We show that a positive, statistically significant rise in the local maxima of PSC formation potential (PFP LM ) for cold winters is apparent in meteorological data collected over the past half century. Output from numerous General Circulation Models (GCMs) also exhibits positive trends in PFP LM over 1950 to 2100, with highest values occurring at end of century, for simulations driven by a large rise in the radiative forcing of climate from greenhouse gases (GHGs). We combine projections of stratospheric halogen loading and humidity with GCM-based forecasts of temperature to suggest that conditions favourable for large, seasonal loss of Arctic column O 3 could persist or even worsen until the end of this century, if future abundances of GHGs continue to steeply rise.

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