Science Update: Climate system response to stratospheric ozone depletion and recovery

In a new review article, M. Previdi and L.M. Polvani, present an overview of current knowledge of the climate response to stratospheric ozone depletion and its projected recovery. Compared to greenhouse gases the radiative forcing of the observed stratospheric ozone loss is small, but despite this, significant changes in the Southern Hemisphere climate system have been observed. This has largely been seen in a shift of the tropospheric mid-latitude jet, and associated changes in tropospheric and surface temperatures, clouds, cloud radiative effects, and precipitation at both middle and low latitudes. Uncertainty, however, remains around the impact of ozone loss on sea-ice. In future, ozone recovery will figure prominently in climate change. The full abstract can be found here.