Long-range correlations of extrapolar total ozone are determined by the global atmospheric circulation

TOMS (Version 8) ozone records are analysed between latitudes 60° S and 60° N, in order to extract autocorrelation properties with high spatial resolution. After the removal of semi-annual, annual, and quasi-biennial background oscillations, the residuals are evaluated by detrended fluctuation analysis. Long-range correlations are detected everywhere. Surprisingly, the latitude dependence of zonally averaged correlation exponents exhibits the same behaviour as the exponents for daily surface temperature records. This suggests that the correlation properties of total ozone column are dominated by the global atmospheric circulation patterns, and the effect of chemical processes seems to be subsidiary.