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The standard deviation of column ozone from the zonal mean
Author(s) -
Jiang Yibo,
Yung Yuk L.,
Douglass Anne R.,
Tung K. K.
Publication year - 1998
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 - 10.1029/98gl00329
Subject(s) - stratosphere , total ozone mapping spectrometer , standard deviation , ozone , geopotential height , atmospheric sciences , atmosphere (unit) , environmental science , latitude , climatology , ozone layer , meteorology , geopotential , physics , geology , geodesy , precipitation , mathematics , statistics
The standard deviation of column ozone from the zonal mean (COSDZ) provides a measure of the longitudinal inhomogeneity in ozone and dynamical wave activities in the atmosphere. Using the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data, we obtain latitude‐season maps of COSDZ that are representative of a dynamically quiet year (1987) and a dynamically active year (1992). The spatial and temporal patterns of COSDZ show considerable similarity to the standard deviation of the 50 mb geopotential heights from the zonal mean. We point out that the simulation of this quantity by three‐dimensional (3‐D) models could provide a sensitive check of wave activities in the stratosphere that are responsible for ozone transport. Comparison between the observed COSDZ and the simulations of the GSFC 3‐D model of ozone reveals major discrepancies between data and model in the tropical stratosphere.