| Very early chlorine activation and ozone loss in the Arctic winter 2002–2003 (2003) | |||||||||||||
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| GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS VOL doi Correction published September Very early chlorine activation and ozone loss the Arctic winter Simone Tilmes Rolf Muller Jens Uwe Groo Michael Hopfner Geoffrey Toon and James Russell III Received June revised September accepted October published December Chlorine activation and chemical ozone destruction investigated the Arctic winter using the tracertracer correlation technique Consistent with very low temperatures the early vortex strong chlorine activation potential temperature was observed already midDecember the MkIV balloon and early January from HALOE satellite measurements Large column ozone loss was derived inside the outer vortex January and substantially greater losses February inside the vortex core Calculated ozone loss similar February the two completely separated parts the vortex Little influence mixing mid latitude noticeable after the reunification the vortex Further some ozone loss lower altitudes likely occurred during March and April consistent with polar stratospheric clouds detected INDEX MIPAS ENVISAT towards the end March TERMS Atmospheric Composition and Structure Middle atmosphere composition and chemistry Atmospheric Composition and Structure Middle atmosphere constituent transport and chemistry Atmospheric Composition and Structure Instruments and techniques Citation Tilmes Muller Groo Hopfner Toon and Russell III Very early chlorine activation and ozone loss the Arctic winter Geophys Res Lett doi here that are . Chlorine activation and chemical ozone destruction is investigated in the Arctic winter 2002–03 using the tracer-tracer correlation technique. Consistent with very low temperatures in the early vortex, strong chlorine activation at 520 K potential temperature was observed already in mid-December 2002 by the MkIV balloon and at 400–500 K in early January 2003 from HALOE satellite measurements. Large column ozone loss was derived inside the outer vortex in January (23 ± 9 DU) and substantially greater losses in February (51 ± 9 DU) inside the vortex core in 380–550 K. Calculated ozone loss is similar in February in the two completely separated parts of the vortex. Little influence of mixing in of mid-latitude is noticeable after the reunification of the vortex. Further, some ozone loss at lower altitudes likely occurred during March and April consistent with polar stratospheric clouds detected by MIPAS-ENVISAT towards the end of March. | |||||||||||||
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