A thorough analysis of the ozone transport was carried out using theTransformed-Mean Eulerian (TEM) tracer continuity equation and the EuropeanCentre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERA-40). Inthis budget analysis, the chemical net production term, which is calculatedas the residual of the other terms, displays the correct features of achemical sink and source term, including location and seasonality, and showsgood agreement in magnitude compared to other methods of calculating ozoneloss rates. This study provides further insight into the role of the eddyozone transport and underlines its fundamental role in the recovery of theozone hole during spring. The trend analysis reveals that the ozone holeintensification over the 1980–2001 period is not solely related to the trendin chemical losses, but more specifically to the balance between the trendsin chemical losses and ozone transport. That is because, in the Southern Hemisphere fromOctober to December, the large increase in the chemical destruction of ozoneis balanced by an equally large trend in the eddy transport, associated witha small increase in the mean transport. This study shows that the increase inthe eddy transport is characterized by more poleward ozone eddy flux bytransient waves in the midlatitudes and by stationary waves in the polarregion. Overall, this study makes clearer the close interaction between thetrends in ozone chemistry and ozone transport. It reveals that the eddy ozonetransport and its long-term changes are an important natural mitigationmechanism for the ozone hole. This work also underlines the need fordiagnostics of the eddy transport in chemical transport models used toinvestigate future ozone recovery.
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