A study of global ozone transport and the role of planetary waves using satellite data.

Global ozone fluxes and flux divergences within the region between 30 and 0.4 mbar are computed for the period from December 1, 1978, to November 30, 1979, using Nimbus 7 solar backscattered ultraviolet ozone profiles and meteorological data derived from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellites. The annual cycle of ozone transports in the northern and southern hemispheres is presented and discussed. It is found that planetary scale waves are responsible for initiating the high-latitude ozone buildup in winter. The time of occurrence and the position of the annual maximum ozone are found to be closely related to the planetary wave acidity in both hemispheres. -Authors