Body force circulation and the Antarctic Ozone minimum

Abstract

A dynamical mechanism, which is relevant to the ozone-depletion problem and which involves a 'body force' circulation discussed by Eliassen (1951), is considered. The body force problem and its application to 'generic' upper-tropospheric wave-driving are discussed theoretically. Following a review of the interhemispheric differences in the winter and early-spring circulation, the elliptic equation governing the residual mean meridional streamfunction is derived, and its analytic-solution properties in negligible shear are discussed. Finally, a numerical solution is derived using the observed August winds under the assumption of radiative equilibrium, and the effect of diabatic heating is discussed.