Long-term tropospheric variations of ozone content caused by galactic cosmic ray influence

Galactic cosmic ray (GCR) fluxes measured by balloons in the troposphere and stratosphere at several points in Russia, and total ozone (TO) records have been used to detect cosmic signal by linear regression analysis. It was shown that TO response is in phase with decadal variations of GCR in contrast to the assumption about ozone destruction by GCR due to the nitrogen catalytic cycle intensification. I-D photochemical model was used to understand the situation. The results of calculations show positive ozone response in the troposphere caused by additional production of NO by GCRs. (C) 2001 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.