Ultraviolet Radiation Levels During the Antarctic Spring

The decrease in atmospheric ozone over Antarctica during spring implies enhanced levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation received at the earth's surface. Model calculations show that UV irradiances encountered during the occurrence of an Antarctic "ozone hole" remain less than those typi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science
Main Authors: Frederick, John E., Snell, Hilary E.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 1988
Subjects:
Antarctic
McMurdo Station
The Antarctic
Antarc*
Antarctica
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.241.4864.438
https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.241.4864.438
Description
Summary:The decrease in atmospheric ozone over Antarctica during spring implies enhanced levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation received at the earth's surface. Model calculations show that UV irradiances encountered during the occurrence of an Antarctic "ozone hole" remain less than those typical of a summer solstice at low to middle latitudes. However, the low ozone amounts observed in October 1987 imply biologically effective irradiances for McMurdo Station, Antarctica, that are comparable to or greater than those for the same location at December solstice. Life indigenous to Antarctica thereby experiences a greatly extended period of summerlike UV radiation levels.

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