Intercomparison of ozone models derived by remote and in situ sensing techniques with recent local measurements at middle latitudes

In the framework of the European Arctic Stratospheric Ozone Experiment (1991–1992) a scries of balloon ascents for ozone and temperature in situ measurements up to 35 km height have been performed at Athens, Greece (38° N, 24° E). This is the first time that such an intensive sounding campaign has been performed in Athens. The data collected for the vertical distribution of ozone and temperature have been compared with the satellite-derived reference models which provide the monthly latitudinal variations of vertical structure of both ozone and temperature. The comparison shows that at the middle stratosphere there is very good agreement between the Satellite Reference Model and the in situ ozone measurements. There is also very good agreement between the Satellite Reference Model and the in situ temperature measurements, thus confirming the recently published findings by Varotsos and Helmis.