Wintertime Polar Ozone Evolution during Stratospheric Vortex Break-Down

Stratospheric Sudden Warming (SSW) is characterized by the rapid warming of the winter polar stratosphere and the weakening of the circumpolar flow. During the onset of a major SSW (when the circumpolar flow reverses direction), the warm stratopause layer (SL) descends from its climatological position to the mid-stratosphere level. As the vortex recovers from SSW, a "new" SL forms in the mid-mesosphere region before returning to its typical level. This SL discontinuity appears in conjunction with enhanced downward intrusion of chemical species from the lower thermosphere/upper mesosphere to the stratosphere. The descended species can potentially impact polar ozone. In this study, the NCAR's Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) is used to investigate the behavior of polar ozone related to major SSWs. Specifically, dynamical evolution and chemistry of NOx, CO, and O3 are examined during three realistic major SSWs and compared with a non-SSW winter season. The simulated (zonal-mean) polar ozone distribution exhibits a "primary" maximum near 40 km, a "secondary" maximum between 90-105 km, and a "tertiary" maximum near 70 km. The concentration of the secondary maximum reduces by ~1.5 parts per million by volume (ppmv) as the vortex recovers and the upper mesospheric polar easterlies return. Enhanced downwelling above the newly formed SL extends up to just above this secondary maximum (~110 km). With an averaged concentration of 2 ppmv, the tertiary ozone maximum layer displaces upward with enhanced upwelling during SSW in conjunction with the lower mesospheric cooling. The downward propagation of the stratospheric wind reversal is accompanied by CO intrusion toward the lowermost stratosphere and anomalous behavior in the primary ozone maximum. Overall, the major SSW, SL, and polar ozone evolution mimic recently reported satellite observations.