The laminated structure of the ozone in the atmosphere

Ozonesonde ascents have shown that frequently the vertical distribution of the ozone in the stratosphere is very complicated with strong maxima and minima. Such a complicated distribution was not expected. In an attempt to find the cause of this highly laminated structure of the ozone, the variations in the intensity of the lamination with both season and latitude have been studied. It is found that a highly laminated structure is most frequent in spring and in the higher latitudes. It is also shown that well marked minima in the vertical distribution of the ozone are found at a height of about 15 km. The frequency of occurrence of these minima is also greatest in spring and in the higher latitudes. It is suggested that the ozone‐weak air in these minima has entered the stratosphere at the sub‐tropical tropopause break and has been carried polewards. A region of minimum ozone is also sometimes found at heights of around 23 km but less frequently than at 15 km. These high level minima are only found in late summer or autumn and in very high latitudes.