Total ozone and equatorial zonal wind

Abstract

Spatial correlations between total column ozone observed by TOMS and equatorial zonal winds from 1979 to 2003 have been assessed. Four months and three different altitude levels have been analyzed: January and July (solstice months), April and October (equinoctial months), and 10, 30 and 50. hPa. The results are different for the months and altitudes considered. The highest correlations values appear in tropical zone at 30. hPa. The Brewer-Dobson circulation plays a key role in regulating the abundance of ozone, influenced by the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) circulation. Since the Brewer-Dobson is a slow circulation, correlations considering lags between one and 12 months were estimated. In this case, the highest correlations values are moving to subtropical latitudes at winter hemisphere, with different behaviors for three altitude levels considered.