Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net 1680-7367 1680-7375 4 2 2004 10.5194/acpd-4-1791-2004 http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/4/1791/2004/ http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/4/1791/2004/acpd-4-1791-2004.html http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/4/1791/2004/acpd-4-1791-2004.pdf 1791 1816 2004-03-23 Secondary maxima in ozone profiles R. Lemoine rene.lemoine@meteo.be Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium Ozone profiles from balloon soundings as well as SAGE II ozone profiles were used to detect anomalous large ozone concentrations of ozone in the lower stratosphere. These secondary ozone maxima are found to be the result of differential advection of ozone-poor and ozone-rich air associated with Rossby wave breaking events. The frequency and intensity of secondary ozone maxima and their geographical distribution is presented. The occurrence and amplitude of ozone secondary maxima is related to ozone trends in the total ozone column and in the lower stratosphere ozone concentration at Uccle and can be used as a measure of the influence of atmospheric circulation on the ozone distribution at mid-latitudes.