Fig. 1: Downward pathways from mesospheric ozone depletion.
From: Polar mesospheric ozone loss initiates downward coupling of solar signal in the Northern Hemisphere
Key processes investigated here using controlled model simulations. Zonal mean zonal wind and Eliassen-Palm-flux (EP-flux) from the reference simulation for November are shown in the background. Changes to zonal mean zonal winds are indicated by solid/dashed contours (positive/negative changes) and changes to temperatures indicated by red/blue shading (positive/negative changes). The grey dashed lines indicated a consequence of the shown changes for downward propagation of the signal. Initially, the polar mesospheric ozone depletion results in enhancement of the meridional temperature gradient which drives reduction of the vertical wind shear at mid-latitudes leading to mid-latitude temperature response.
