Open AccessStratospheric ozone loss-induced cloud effects lead to less surface ultraviolet radiation over the Siberian Arctic in spring
Author(s) -
Y. Xia,
Yongyun Hu,
Yi Huang,
Jianchun Bian,
Chuanfeng Zhao
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
environmental research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.37
H-Index - 124
ISSN - 1748-9326
DOI - 10.1088/1748-9326/ac18e9
Subject(s) - environmental science , arctic , ozone layer , ozone , atmospheric sciences , ozone depletion , lead (geology) , climatology , stratosphere , meteorology , oceanography , geology , geography , geomorphology
Surface ultraviolet (UV) radiation has important effects on human health, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and air pollution. Both stratospheric ozone and clouds are key factors that influence surface UV radiation. Here we find that Arctic ozone loss may lead to a decrease in surface UV radiation over the Siberian Arctic in spring using ERA5 reanalysis. It is found that Arctic ozone loss is associated with an increase in high clouds by modifying static stability in the upper troposphere. Stratospheric ozone loss allows more UV radiation to reach the surface. On the contrary, the increase in high clouds results in a reduction of surface UV radiation. Interestingly, a composite analysis suggests that this cloud masking effect is found to be stronger than that from stratospheric ozone loss over the Siberian Arctic in spring. These results suggest that we should pay more attention to the high-ozone events which would lead to more surface UV radiation by the cloud effects.