Open AccessSensitivity of the mid‐winter Arctic stratosphere to QBO width in a simplified chemistry–climate model
Author(s) -
Hurwitz M. M.,
Braesicke P.,
Pyle J. A.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
atmospheric science letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.951
H-Index - 45
ISSN - 1530-261X
DOI - 10.1002/asl.330
Subject(s) - stratosphere , quasi biennial oscillation , climatology , atmospheric sciences , arctic , environmental science , polar vortex , the arctic , middle latitudes , climate model , arctic oscillation , sensitivity (control systems) , latitude , ozone , ozone depletion , ozone layer , climate change , meteorology , physics , oceanography , geology , northern hemisphere , electronic engineering , engineering , astronomy
This study is the first to assess the sensitivity of the mid‐winter Arctic stratosphere to variability in the width of the quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO). Differences between a pair of idealised simulations with a simplified chemistry–climate model are examined. The width of the QBO appears to have equal influence on the Arctic stratosphere as does the phase (i.e. the Holton‐Tan mechanism). In the model, a wider QBO acts like a preferential shift towards the easterly phase of the QBO. That is, on average, a wider QBO is associated with a weaker Arctic vortex and with enhanced total ozone at high latitudes. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society