The standard deviation of column ozone from the zonal mean

Abstract

The standard deviation of column ozone from the zonal mean (COSDZ) provides a measure of the longitudinal inhomogeneity in ozone and dynamical wave activities in the atmosphere. Using the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data, we obtain latitude-season maps of COSDZ that are representative of a dynamically quiet year (1987) and a dynamically active year (1992). The spatial and temporal patterns of COSDZ show considerable similarity to the standard deviation of the 50 mb geopotential heights from the zonal mean. We point out that the simulation of this quantity by three-dimensional (3-D) models could provide a sensitive check of wave activities in the stratosphere that are responsible for ozone transport. Comparison between the observed COSDZ and the simulations of the GSFC 3-D model of ozone reveals major discrepancies between data and model in the tropical stratosphere.