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.
