Influence of the Tropopause Height on the Global Stratospheric Aerosol Burden and Implications for the Recent Increase in Ozone

Abstract

Seasonal tropopause height variations are utilized in studying the global stratospheric aerosol burden and possible ozone asymmetries and long-term variations. It is concluded that an intimate relationship between tropopause height and total stratospheric aerosol exists and that seasonal fluctuations in tropopause height may be responsible for at least a portion of the north-south hemisphere total ozone asymmetry and the recent long-term increase trend in total ozone.