Analysis of near-surface ozone variations in Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica

• Published in: Antarctic Science
• Main Authors: Cristofanelli, P., Bonasoni, P., Calzolari, F., Bonafè, U., Lanconelli, C., Lupi, A., Trivellone, G., Vitale, V., Petkov, B.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2008
• Subjects: Geology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Oceanography; Terra Nova Bay; Antarc*; Antarctic Science; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102008001028; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102008001028

Abstract Ozone concentration measurements were made during December from 2001–2005 to quantify the contributions of different processes to near-surface ozone concentrations (O 3 ) in Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica. The average O 3 concentration was 20.3 ppbv. On days characterized by high solar radiation fluxes (HSR), significantly higher concentrations of O 3 (21.3 ppbv) were recorded compared to days with low solar radiation fluxes (LSR days, 16.8 ppbv). High O 3 concentrations could be related to strong winds from SW–NW. Three-dimensional back-trajectories show that air from the interior of the continent could affect O 3 at Terra Nova Bay. Moreover, during HSR days, high O 3 concentrations were also recorded in connection with weak circulation, suggesting that emissions from the Italian base (located 2 km north) could also represent a significant source of O 3 . To clarify the role of local pollution in Terra Nova Bay, O 3 values were also calculated using the photochemical steady state (PSS) approximation under clear sky and cloudy conditions.