Decadal changes in the relationship between Arctic stratospheric ozone and sea surface temperatures in the North Pacific

Using multi-source observations and ERA-Interim reanalysis data, this study found that the relationship between Arctic stratospheric ozone in March and North Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) in April shows dramatic decadal changes, and it significantly weakens since the 2000s. By enhancing the stratospheric circulations, a decreased Arctic stratospheric ozone favors tropospheric positive Arctic Oscillation (+AO)-like anomaly during PRE eras (1979–1999), with positive geopotential height (GH) anomalies over high-latitude Asia. The stratospheric ozone anomaly also favors the Asian positive GH anomalies via modulating high cloud and its related longwave radiation. According to geostrophic wind relationships, the Asian positive GH anomalies are accompanied by easterly anomalies over midlatitude Asia in late March, which further extend eastward and thereby induce easterly anomalies over the midlatitude North Pacific. The North Pacific easterly anomalies result in negative North Pacific Oscillation (–NPO)-like anomaly via vorticity forcing of zonal wind and the interactions between synoptic-scale eddies and mean flow, forcing significant SST anomalies. However, during POST eras (2000–2019), firstly, the +AO-related positive GH anomalies over high-latitude Asia are relatively weak, accompanied by weak easterly anomalies over midlatitude Asia according to geostrophic wind relations, which induce weak easterly anomalies over the North Pacific. Secondly, a westerly anomaly occurs over the midlatitude North Pacific, which partly offsets the easterly anomalies from Asia, weakening the North Pacific easterly anomalies. The weak easterly anomalies further induce weak –NPO and SST anomalies during the POST eras. Our analysis further indicates that the North Pacific westerly anomalies and weakening of the positive GH anomalies over high-latitude Asia associated with ozone are related to the interference of the westerly phase of quasi-biennial oscillation and the weakened stratospheric ozone anomaly over high-latitude Asia, respectively. •The Arctic ozone’s effects on North Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) significantly weakened since the 2000s.•The weakened effects are due to spatial pattern changes of ozone-related Arctic Oscillation (AO) anomaly after 2000.•The spatial pattern of ozone-related AO anomaly is important for predicting North Pacific atmospheric circulation and SST.