Impact of Solar Variability on Ozone and Temperature
Richard S. Stolarski [Richard.S.Stolarski@nasa.gov], Eric Fleming, and Charles H.
Jackman, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland; and William Swartz,
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Columbia, Maryland
Solar UV variability can affect stratospheric ozone and temperature both directly and
indirectly. Photodissociation of O2 by solar UV produces ozone. More ozone means higher
temperatures (correlated). Heating due to UV raises temperatures, thus speeding up ozone
loss processes resulting in lower ozone (anti-correlated). We have used the Goddard 2D
atmospheric chemistry and transport model and the Goddard 3D chemistry climate model
(GEOS CCM) to investigate the coupled effects of solar variability on photodissociation and
heating on stratospheric ozone and temperature. The perturbations caused by
photodissociation and heating in the upper stratosphere can have indirect impacts on the
lower stratosphere through transport of ozone change and through dynamical response of the
atmosphere as a whole. We will discuss our simulations of these effects and compare results
with analysis of the long-term ozone data records obtained by the SBUV series of satellitebased measurements