ACPD Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions ACPD 1680-7375 Copernicus GmbH Göttingen, Germany 10.5194/acpd-3-5725-2003 Space-borne observations link the tropical Atlantic ozone maximum and paradox to lightning Jenkins G. S. 1 Ryu J.-H. 1 Department of Meteorology, Penn State University, 503 Walker Building, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA 13 11 2003 3 6 5725 5754 This is an open-access article ditributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. This article is available from http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/3/5725/2003/acpd-3-5725-2003.html The full text article is available as a PDF file from http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/3/5725/2003/acpd-3-5725-2003.pdf

The causes of high tropospheric column ozone values over the Tropical Atlantic Ocean during September, October, and November (SON) are investigated by examining lightning during 1998–2001. The cause for high tropospheric column ozone in the hemisphere opposite of biomass burning (tropical ozone paradox) is also examined. Our results show that lightning is central to high tropospheric column ozone during SON and responsible for the tropical ozone paradox during December, January, and February (DJF) and June, July and August (JJA). During SON large numbers of flashes are observed in South America, Central and West Africa enriching the tropospheric column ozone over the Tropical Atlantic Ocean. During JJA the largest numbers of lightning flashes are observed in West Africa, enriching tropospheric column ozone to the north of 5° S in the absence biomass burning. During DJF, lightning is concentrated in South America and Central Africa enriching tropospheric column ozone south of the Equator in the absence of biomass burning.