Winter–spring anomalies in stratospheric O3 and NO2 contents over the Moscow region in 2010 and 2011

Abstract

Using results of ground-based spectrometric measurements, we analyze the anomalies in the stratospheric contents of O 3 and NO 2 in the Moscow region related to the sudden stratospheric warming and associated distortion of the stratospheric circumpolar vortex in early February 2010 and to the latitudinal displacement of the vortex towards the European sector in late March 2011 before the final spring warming. In the former case, the O 3 concentration increased up to 85% and the stratospheric column NO 2 content increased twice; in the latter case, the O 3 concentration decreased by a quarter and the NO 2 content decreased twice in comparison with average values for the time periods preceding the onsets of the anomalies. Estimates of the statistical correlationship of the stratospheric O 3 and NO 2 contents with potential vorticity and geopotential have been obtained.