Severe ozone depletion in the cold Arctic winter 2004–05

During a flight of the M55 Geophysica into the Arctic polar vortex on 7 March 2005, ozone, halogen species, tracers and water vapor were measured. Up to 90% chlorine activation and up to 60% ozone loss were found above 14 km, reflecting the low temperatures and extensive PSC formation prevalent in the Arctic stratosphere over the 2004/05 winter. Observations are generally well reproduced by CLaMS model simulations. The observed levels of active chlorine can only be reproduced by assuming significant denitrification of about 70%. Moderate dehydration up to 0.5 ppm is observed in some locations. We deduce a partial column ozone loss of 62 (+8/−17) DU below 19 km on 7 March.