Ozone, water vapor, and temperature anomalies associated with atmospheric blocking events over Eastern Europe in spring - summer 2010

Using data from the AIRS satellite instrument (V6, L3), ozone, water vapor (WV), and temperature anomalies associated with the relatively short spring atmospheric blocking event and anomalously prolonged summer block over European Russia (ER) in 2010 are analyzed. Within the domain of the blocking anticyclones, negative total column ozone (TCO) anomalies and positive total column water vapor (TCWV) anomalies reaching the values of −25 and −32 Dobson Units (DU) and 10 and 11 kg m−2 during the spring and summer blocks are observed, respectively. Conversely, within the regions adjacent to the anticyclones to the west and east, positive TCO anomalies (77 and 45 DU) and negative TCWV anomalies (−3 and −4 kg m−2) are found. These TCO and TCWV anomalies are conditioned by the regional atmospheric circulation associated with the strong omega-type blocking. The TCO deficit and TCWV surplus within the atmospheric blocking domain are explained primarily by the poleward advection of subtropical air with low TCO and high TCWV content and tropopause uplift. The TCO and TCWV anomalies are also associated with quasi-stationary Rossby wave trains that accompanied these blocking events. An analysis of the anomaly vertical structure shows that the marked TCO decrease is primarily due to the lower stratospheric ozone decrease, while the strong TCWV increase is mainly the result of an increase of lower tropospheric WV content. The possible role of photochemical ozone destruction in the lower stratosphere due to WV advection within the blocked regions is also discussed. Vertical profiles of the thermal anomalies during both atmospheric blocking events reveal dipole-like structures characterized by positive temperature anomalies in the troposphere and negative anomalies in the lower stratosphere.