A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF TWO PROPOSED MECHANISMS FOR VERTICAL OZONE TRANSPORT IN THE LOWER STRATOSPHERE

Abstract

An equation suitable for the study of changes in ozone density in the region of the stratosphere below approximately 25 km is derived and applied to the problem of the observed increase in the ozone content of the layer between 10 and 20 km during winter. Under the assumptions that meridional circulation or turbulent mass exchange alone is responsible for the observed changes, the required vertical velocities and austausch coefficients are computed for various elevations and latitudes. It is concluded that the meridional circulation scheme provides a satisfactory explanation of the ozone rise only if the circuit extends over both hemispheres. On the other hand, turbulent mixing is a sufficient explanation if stratospheric austausch coefficients attain values as high as 1 to 20 g cm?1 sec?1 during winter.