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Special Issue "Multi-Scale Variability of Stratospheric and Tropospheric Ozone and Related Processes"

A special issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292). This special issue belongs to the section "Atmospheric Remote Sensing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2023 | Viewed by 4156

Special Issue Editors

Department of Atmospheric Science, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: stratospheric ozone; stratospheric dynamics and chemistry; tropospheric ozone; climate change
Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and Ecology (MoE), Institute for Advanced Ocean Study, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Interests: tropospheric ozone; ozone-climate interactions; air pollution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jiali Luo
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Colleage of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
Interests: stratosphere - troposphere exchange; stratosphere - troposphere interaction
Department of Physics, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
Interests: solar radiation; clouds; aerosols; water vapor; ozone
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ozone is one of the most important trace gases in the atmosphere. While ozone in the stratosphere protects life on the earth by absorbing short-wave ultraviolet (UV) radiation, tropospheric ozone is harmful to humans, animals and plants. Stratospheric ozone depletion and the increase in tropospheric ozone are two major environmental issues around the globe. Because of the Montreal Protocol, stratospheric ozone is expected to recover. However, there are still large uncertainties in the recent trends of ozone in the lower stratosphere, although upper stratospheric ozone is increasing. At the same time, tropospheric ozone is still increasing in some regions such as China. On the one hand, changes in stratospheric and tropospheric ozone are related to complex chemical and dynamical processes and can be influenced by weather and climate on different timescales. On the other hand, ozone is also an effective greenhouse gas and exerts strong feedback to weather and climate. Variabilities of stratospheric and tropospheric ozone on different timescales and their interactions with weather and climate are of great significance.

This Special Issue aims at collecting studies covering the multi-scale variability of stratospheric and tropospheric ozone and related processes.

Potential topics for this Special Issue include but are not limited to the following:

  • Observed changes in stratospheric or tropospheric ozone obtained through in situ and/or remotely sensed observations;
  • Numerical simulations related to stratospheric or tropospheric ozone;
  • Dynamical processes influencing stratospheric or tropospheric ozone;
  • Changes in other atmospheric compositions related to ozone;
  • Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs);
  • The possible reason of the changes in stratospheric or tropospheric ozone;
  • Emission inventory and its influences on ozone;
  • Impacts of weather and climate on stratospheric or tropospheric ozone;
  • Feedbacks of stratospheric or tropospheric ozone to weather and climate;
  • Impact of ozone variability on UV solar radiation at surface;
  • The effect of stratosphere-troposphere exchange on ozone.

Prof. Dr. Wuke Wang
Prof. Dr. Yang Gao
Dr. Jiali Luo
Dr. Manuel Antón
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Remote Sensing is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • stratospheric ozone
  • tropospheric ozone
  • stratospheric dynamics
  • stratospheric clouds
  • stratospheric water vapor
  • climate change
  • air pollution
  • aerosol
  • anthropogenic emissions
  • weather-ozone/aerosol interactions

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 5526 KiB  
Article
Record Low Arctic Stratospheric Ozone in Spring 2020: Measurements of Ground-Based Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy in Ny-Ålesund during 2017–2021
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(19), 4882; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15194882 - 09 Oct 2023
Viewed by 432
Abstract
The Arctic stratospheric ozone depletion event in spring 2020 was the most severe compared with previous years. We retrieved the critical indicator ozone vertical column density (VCD) using zenith scattered light differential optical absorption spectroscopy (ZSL-DOAS) from March 2017 to September 2021 in [...] Read more.
The Arctic stratospheric ozone depletion event in spring 2020 was the most severe compared with previous years. We retrieved the critical indicator ozone vertical column density (VCD) using zenith scattered light differential optical absorption spectroscopy (ZSL-DOAS) from March 2017 to September 2021 in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway. The average ozone VCD over Ny-Ålesund between 18 March and 18 April 2020 was approximately 274.8 Dobson units (DU), which was only 64.7 ± 0.1% of that recorded in other years (2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021). The daily peak difference was 195.7 DU during this period. The retrieved daily averages of ozone VCDs were compared with satellite observations from the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2), a Brewer spectrophotometer, and a Système d’Analyze par Observation Zénithale (SAOZ) spectrometer at Ny-Ålesund. As determined using the empirical cumulative density function, ozone VCDs from the ZSL-DOAS dataset were strongly correlated with data from the GOME-2 and SAOZ at lower and higher values, and ozone VCDs from the Brewer instrument were overestimated. The resulting Pearson correlation coefficients were relatively high at 0.97, 0.87, and 0.91, respectively. In addition, the relative deviations were 2.3%, 3.1%, and 3.5%, respectively. Sounding and ERA5 data indicated that severe ozone depletion occurred between mid-March and mid-April 2020 in the 16–20 km altitude range over Ny-Ålesund, which was strongly associated with the overall persistently low temperatures in the winter of 2019/2020. Using ZSL-DOAS observations, we obtained ozone VCDs and provided evidence for the unprecedented ozone depletion during the Arctic spring of 2020. This is essential for the study of polar ozone changes and their effect on climate change and ecological conditions. Full article
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13 pages, 4135 KiB  
Communication
Types of Coupling between the Stratospheric Polar Vortex and Tropospheric Polar Vortex, and Tropospheric Circulation Anomalies Associated with Each Type in Boreal Winter
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(18), 4367; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15184367 - 05 Sep 2023
Viewed by 539
Abstract
Fifty years of daily ERA5 reanalysis data are employed to investigate the linkages between the strength of the stratospheric polar vortex and the tropospheric polar vortex during the boreal winter. The strong coupling events, anomalies in both the stratospheric and tropospheric polar vortices, [...] Read more.
Fifty years of daily ERA5 reanalysis data are employed to investigate the linkages between the strength of the stratospheric polar vortex and the tropospheric polar vortex during the boreal winter. The strong coupling events, anomalies in both the stratospheric and tropospheric polar vortices, can be classified into four configurations, each representing the distinct characteristics of planetary wave vertical propagation and tropospheric circulation anomalies. The findings reveal the following patterns: (1) Strong stratospheric polar vortex and weak tropospheric polar vortex periods are associated with anomalous downward E-P flux from the stratosphere to the troposphere, predominantly induced by planetary waves 1 and 2. Warm anomalies occur along the North Atlantic coasts, while cold anomalies are evident over Eastern Europe and East Asia at the surface. (2) Weak stratospheric polar vortex and strong tropospheric polar vortex periods exhibit anomalous upward E-P flux in high latitudes, with dominant wave 1, and anomalous downward E-P flux in the middle latitudes, dominated by wave 2. Warm anomalies are observed over North America, Western Europe, and the northern side of the Gulf of Oman at the surface. (3) Strong stratospheric polar vortex and strong tropospheric polar vortex periods feature anomalous downward E-P flux in high latitudes, dominated by wave 1, and anomalous upward E-P flux in middle latitudes, with a wave 2 predominance. Warm anomalies prevail over Northeast Asia, Southern Europe, and North America at the surface. (4) Weak stratospheric polar vortex and weak tropospheric polar vortex periods display anomalous upward E-P flux in mid-to-high latitudes, predominantly with wave 1. In contrast to the tropospheric circulation anomalies observed in the third category, this pattern results in the presence of cold anomalies over Northeast Asia, Southern Europe, and North America. Full article
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13 pages, 12401 KiB  
Communication
The Different Characteristics of the Mass Transport between the Stratosphere and the Troposphere in Two Types of Cyclonic Rossby Wave-Breaking Events
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(13), 3286; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15133286 - 26 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 696
Abstract
Using the ERA5 reanalysis data and trajectory analysis provided by Hysplit4, a comparative analysis was conducted on the primary pathways of air particles and the dominant weather systems in two distinct cases of equatorward and poleward cyclonic Rossby wave-breaking (CWB) events. Subsequently, the [...] Read more.
Using the ERA5 reanalysis data and trajectory analysis provided by Hysplit4, a comparative analysis was conducted on the primary pathways of air particles and the dominant weather systems in two distinct cases of equatorward and poleward cyclonic Rossby wave-breaking (CWB) events. Subsequently, the characteristics of mass exchange between the stratosphere and troposphere in both CWBs were estimated and discussed. CWB events are frequently associated with the development of an upper front in subtropics and a ridge or blocking in mid-latitudes, leading to a tropopause anomaly characterized by a downward depression in the subtropics and an upward bulge in the mid-latitudes. High potential vorticity (PV) particles exhibit negligible vertical motion and are instead controlled by the circulation of the ridge or blocking, leading to a significant poleward transport. In contrast, low PV particles display noticeable vertical motion, with approximately one fourth of them ascending on the north side of the upper-level jet exit region. After CWB occurrence, approximately 25% of low PV particles moved southward and sank below 500 hPa with the downstream trough’s cold air. Most high PV particles remained in the stratosphere, and low PV particles predominantly remained in the troposphere. Only a small proportion (2% to 6%) of particles underwent stratosphere–troposphere exchange (STE). In equatorward CWB, STE manifested as transport from stratosphere to troposphere, occurring mainly in 24–48 h post breaking with a maximum mass transport of approximately 1.54 × 1013 kg. In poleward CWB, STE involved transport from troposphere to stratosphere, occurring mainly within 0–18 h post breaking with a maximum mass transport of approximately 1.48 × 1013 kg. Full article
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16 pages, 5833 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Quasi-Biennial Oscillation and El Niño–Southern Oscillation on Stratospheric Isentropic Mixing Process
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(11), 2715; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15112715 - 23 May 2023
Viewed by 910
Abstract
The present study investigates the influences of stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the intensity of stratospheric isentropic mixing based on ERA-Interim and MERRA-2 reanalysis products. It is found that isentropic mixing in the stratosphere is modulated by QBO [...] Read more.
The present study investigates the influences of stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the intensity of stratospheric isentropic mixing based on ERA-Interim and MERRA-2 reanalysis products. It is found that isentropic mixing in the stratosphere is modulated by QBO and ENSO. An analysis of the QBO basis function in the multiple regression model reveals that isentropic mixing in the lower stratosphere is suppressed in the equatorial region in the WQBO phase, while the mixing enhances in the subtropical and mid-latitude regions. This result is not consistent with the Holton–Tan mechanism. However, isentropic mixing in the mid-latitudes becomes stronger in the middle stratosphere in the EQBO phase, which agrees well with the Holton–Tan effect. Composite analysis indicates that QBO-induced changes in the direction and speed of the stratospheric zonal wind can affect wave propagation and wave breaking. In the WQBO phase, zonal wind weakens, and a planetary wave is anomalously converging near 30°N, which leads to an increase in isentropic mixing; on the contrary, wind speed becomes large, and the upward propagation of planetary wave divergence, which lead to the isentropic mixing, becomes weak near 60°N. In the EQBO phase, the wind is relatively weak around 60°N, and the isentropic mixing is strong. Multiple regression analysis reveals the ENSO impact on the intensity of isentropic mixing, which shows weak mixing in the middle and high latitudes and strong mixing in the low latitudes of the lower stratosphere in the El Niño years. In the middle stratosphere, isentropic mixing enhances in the mid-latitude region due to intensified upward propagation of planetary waves but weakens in the polar region. Composite analysis reveals a clear relationship between the mixing strength zones of the El Niño and La Niña years with the position of the polar jet and changes in zonal wind speed. Full article
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18 pages, 12581 KiB  
Article
The Stratosphere-to-Troposphere Transport Related to Rossby Wave Breaking and Its Impact on Summertime Ground-Level Ozone in Eastern China
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(10), 2647; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15102647 - 19 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1006
Abstract
In summertime, eastern China experiences severe ozone pollution. Stratosphere-to-troposphere transport (STT), as the primary natural source of tropospheric ozone, may have a non-negligible contribution to ground-level ozone. Rossby wave breaking (RWB) is a leading mechanism that triggers STT, which can be categorized as [...] Read more.
In summertime, eastern China experiences severe ozone pollution. Stratosphere-to-troposphere transport (STT), as the primary natural source of tropospheric ozone, may have a non-negligible contribution to ground-level ozone. Rossby wave breaking (RWB) is a leading mechanism that triggers STT, which can be categorized as anticyclonic wave breakings (AWBs) and cyclonic wave breakings (CWBs). This study uses an objective method to diagnose AWBs and CWBs and to investigate their influence on the surface ozone in eastern China using ground-based ozone observations, satellite ozone data from AIRS, a stratospheric ozone tracer simulated by CAM-chem, and meteorological fields from MERRA-2. The results indicate that AWBs occur mainly and frequently over northeast China, while CWBs occur mostly over the northern Sea of Japan. STTs triggered by AWBs mainly have sinking areas over the North China Plain, increasing the ground-level ozone concentrations by 5–10 ppbv in eastern China. The downwelling zones in the CWBs extend from Mongolia to the East China Sea, potentially causing an elevation of 5–10 ppbv of ozone in both central and eastern China. This study gives an overview of the impacts of AWBs and CWBs on surface ozone in eastern China and helps to improve our understanding of summertime ozone pollution in eastern China. Full article
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