Greenhouse gases in the stratosphere

The potential radiative forcing in the stratosphere of changing concentrations of ozone, methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons 11 and 12 is assessed. Significant changes in heating rate in the lower stratosphere are found. The response of a fully interactive radiative‐photochemical‐dynamical two‐dimensional model to such changes in gaseous concentrations is investigated. The inclusion of CH4, N2O and the CFCs in the radiation scheme causes a small (1 K) decrease in temperature throughout the stratosphere after 50 model years with a resulting increase in ozone column up to 1% in summer high latitudes. An experiment in which lower stratospheric ozone concentrations were forcibly reduced in line with recent satellite observations results in significant (several degrees) temperature decrease in this region. Such decreases may be very significant in maintaining polar ozone loss.