The Role of Stratospheric Ozone in the Zonal and Seasonal Radiative Energy Balance of the Earth-Troposphere System

Abstract

The role of ozone in the tropospheric-surface energy balance is discussed in the context of its latitudinally and seasonally varying modulation of solar and longwave energy fluxes. We analyze in detail the various radiative energy inputs to the stratosphere and the radiative fluxes from the stratosphere to the troposphere. To a very close approximation, on an annual and hemispherical mean, longwave emission from the stratosphere balances the absorbed radiant energy. The stratosphere absorbs about twice as much longwave radiation from the troposphere as it does solar radiation. About 20% of the longwave flux from the stratosphere to the troposphere is directly due to O2. A change in O3 concentrations perturbs the stratospheric and tropospheric-surface energy balances through a number of distinct mechanisms involving changes in solar and longwave fluxes and which are separated into direct effects due to the change of O3 and indirect effects due to the accompanying change of stratospheric temperatur... Abstract The role of ozone in the tropospheric-surface energy balance is discussed in the context of its latitudinally and seasonally varying modulation of solar and longwave energy fluxes. We analyze in detail the various radiative energy inputs to the stratosphere and the radiative fluxes from the stratosphere to the troposphere. To a very close approximation, on an annual and hemispherical mean, longwave emission from the stratosphere balances the absorbed radiant energy. The stratosphere absorbs about twice as much longwave radiation from the troposphere as it does solar radiation. About 20% of the longwave flux from the stratosphere to the troposphere is directly due to O2. A change in O3 concentrations perturbs the stratospheric and tropospheric-surface energy balances through a number of distinct mechanisms involving changes in solar and longwave fluxes and which are separated into direct effects due to the change of O3 and indirect effects due to the accompanying change of stratospheric temperatur...