Antarctic ozone enhancement during the 2019 sudden stratospheric warming event

Abstract : We analyze the 2019 sudden stratospheric warming event that occurred in the Southern Hemisphere through its impact on the Antarctic ozone. Using temperature, ozone, and nitric acid data from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), our results show that the average increase in stratospheric temperature reached a maximum of 34.4° on September 20th in the [60‐90]°S latitude range when compared to the past three years. Dynamical parameters suggest a locally‐reversed and weakened zonal winds and a shift in the location of the polar jet vortex. This led to air masses mixing, to a reduced polar stratospheric clouds formation detected at a ground station, and as such to lower ozone and nitric acid depletion. 2019 total ozone columns for the months of September, October, and November, were on average higher by 29%, 28%, and 26% respectively when compared to the 11‐year average of the same months.