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Evaluating how photochemistry and transport determine stratospheric inorganic chlorine in coupled chemistry‐climate models
Author(s) -
Struthers H.,
Bodeker G. E.,
Smale D.,
Rozanov E.,
Schraner M.,
Peter T.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2008gl036403
Subject(s) - chlorine , stratosphere , ozone , ozone depletion , ozone layer , polar , atmospheric chemistry , atmospheric sciences , chemistry , environmental science , environmental chemistry , representation (politics) , photochemistry , organic chemistry , physics , astronomy , politics , political science , law
This study examines how the stratospheric conversion of organic molecules containing chlorine (CCl y ) to inorganic forms (Cl y ) can be comprehensively evaluated in three‐dimensional coupled chemistry‐climate models (CCMs) using results from two models (SOCOL and UMETRAC) as examples. Stratospheric inorganic chlorine concentrations depend on both photochemistry and transport. The CCl y to Cl y conversion process is the first step towards chlorine catalyzed destruction of stratospheric ozone. It is therefore important that models used for the prediction of future stratospheric change accurately simulate this process. Also, because there are multiple processes influencing Cl y in CCMs, direct comparison of Cl y by itself is of limited use as a validation diagnostic for CCMs. Results show that SOCOL's representation of the photochemical conversion of CCl y to Cl y is more realistic than UMETRAC's. The CCl y to Cl y parameterization used in UMETRAC masks transport deficiencies in the model which means that Cl y in the polar lower stratosphere from UMETRAC compares better with observations than SOCOL.