26 CFR 52.4682-1 - Ozone-depleting chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ozone-depleting chemicals. 52.4682-1 Section 52... EXCISE TAXES (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL TAXES § 52.4682-1 Ozone-depleting chemicals. (a) Overview. This section provides rules relating to the tax imposed on ozone-depleting chemicals (ODCs) under section 4681...

26 CFR 52.4682-1 - Ozone-depleting chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Ozone-depleting chemicals. 52.4682-1 Section 52... EXCISE TAXES (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL TAXES § 52.4682-1 Ozone-depleting chemicals. (a) Overview. This section provides rules relating to the tax imposed on ozone-depleting chemicals (ODCs) under section 4681...

A search for relativistic electron induced stratospheric ozone depletion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aikin, Arthur C.

1994-01-01

Possible ozone changes at 1 mb associated with the time variation and precipitation of relativistic electrons are investigated by examining the NIMBUS 7 SBUV ozone data set and corresponding temperatures derived from NMC data. No ozone depletion was observed in high-latitude summer when temperature fluctuations are small. In winter more variation in ozone occurs, but large temperature changes make it difficult to identify specific ozone decreases as being the result of relativistic electron precipitation.

Ozone Depletion from Nearby Supernovae

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gehrels, Neil; Laird, Claude M.; Jackman, Charles H.; Cannizzo, John K.; Mattson, Barbara J.; Chen, Wan; Bhartia, P. K. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Estimates made in the 1970's indicated that a supernova occurring within tens of parsecs of Earth could have significant effects on the ozone layer. Since that time improved tools for detailed modeling of atmospheric chemistry have been developed to calculate ozone depletion, and advances have been made also in theoretical modeling of supernovae and of the resultant gamma ray spectra. In addition, one now has better knowledge of the occurrence rate of supernovae in the galaxy, and of the spatial distribution of progenitors to core-collapse supernovae. We report here the results of two-dimensional atmospheric model calculations that take as input the spectral energy distribution of a supernova, adopting various distances from Earth and various latitude impact angles. In separate simulations we calculate the ozone depletion due to both gamma rays and cosmic rays. We find that for the combined ozone depletion from these effects roughly to double the 'biologically active' UV flux received at the surface of the Earth, the supernova must occur at approximately or less than 8 parsecs.

Arctic ozone depletion in 2002-2003 measured by ASUR and comparison with POAM observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuttippurath, Jayanarayanan; KleinböHl, Armin; Sinnhuber, Miriam; Bremer, Holger; Küllmann, Harry; Notholt, Justus; Godin-Beekmann, Sophie; Tripathi, Omprakash; Nikulin, Grigory

2011-11-01

We present ozone loss estimated from airborne measurements taken during January-February and March in the Arctic winter 2002/2003. The first half of the winter was characterized by unusually cold temperatures and the second half by a major stratospheric sudden warming around 15-18 January 2003. The potential vorticity maps show a vortex split in the lower stratosphere during the major warming (MW) in late January and during the minor warming in mid-February due to wave 1 amplification. However, the warming can be termed as a vortex displacement event as there was no vortex split during the MW period at 10 hPa. Very low temperatures, large areas of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs), and high chlorine activation triggered significant ozone loss in the early winter, as the vortex moved to the midlatitude regions. The ozone depletion derived from the ASUR measurements sampled inside the vortex, in conjunction with the Mimosa-Chim model tracer, shows a maximum of 1.3 ± 0.2 ppmv at 450-500 K by late March. The partial column loss derived from the ASUR ozone profiles reaches up to 61 ± 4 DU in 400-550 K in the same period. The evolution of ozone and ozone loss assessed from the ASUR measurements is in very good agreement with POAM observations. The reduction in ozone estimated from the POAM measurements shows a similar maximum of 1.3 ± 0.2 ppmv at 400-500 K or 63 ± 4 DU in 400-550 K in late March. Our study reveals that the Arctic winter 2002/2003 was unique as it had three minor warmings and a MW, yet showed large loss in ozone. No such feature was observed in any other Arctic winter in the 1989-2010 period. In addition, an unusually large ozone loss in December, around 0.5 ± 0.2 ppmv at 450-500 K or 12 ± 1 DU in 400-550 K, was estimated for the first time in the Arctic. A careful and detailed diagnosis with all available published results for this winter exhibits an average ozone loss of 1.5 ± 0.3 ppmv at 450-500 K or 65 ± 5 DU in 400-550 K by the end of March

Northern Hemisphere Stratospheric Ozone Depletion Caused by Solar Proton Events: The Role of the Polar Vortex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denton, M. H.; Kivi, R.; Ulich, T.; Clilverd, M. A.; Rodger, C. J.; von der Gathen, P.

2018-02-01

Ozonesonde data from four sites are analyzed in relation to 191 solar proton events from 1989 to 2016. Analysis shows ozone depletion ( 10-35 km altitude) commencing following the SPEs. Seasonally corrected ozone data demonstrate that depletions occur only in winter/early spring above sites where the northern hemisphere polar vortex (PV) can be present. A rapid reduction in stratospheric ozone is observed with the maximum decrease occurring 10-20 days after solar proton events. Ozone levels remain depleted in excess of 30 days. No depletion is observed above sites completely outside the PV. No depletion is observed in relation to 191 random epochs at any site at any time of year. Results point to the role of indirect ozone destruction, most likely via the rapid descent of long-lived NOx species in the PV during the polar winter.

Arctic Ozone Depletion from UARS MLS Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manney, G. L.

1995-01-01

Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) measurements of ozone during four Arctic winters are compared. The evolution of ozone in the lower stratosphere is related to temperature, chlorine monoxide (also measured by MLS), and the evolution of the polar vortex. Lagrangian transport calculations using winds from the United Kingdom Meteorological Office's Stratosphere-Troposphere Data Assimilation system are used to estimate to what extent the evolution of lower stratospheric ozone is controlled by dynamics. Observations, along with calculations of the expected dynamical behavior, show evidence for chemical ozone depletion throughout most of the Arctic lower stratospheric vortex during the 1992-93 middle and late winter, and during all of the 1994-95 winter that was observed by MLS. Both of these winters were unusually cold and had unusually cold and had unusually strong Arctic polar vortices compared to meteorological data over the past 17 years.

Addressing Ozone Layer Depletion

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Access information on EPA's efforts to address ozone layer depletion through regulations, collaborations with stakeholders, international treaties, partnerships with the private sector, and enforcement actions under Title VI of the Clean Air Act.

Scientific assessment of ozone depletion: 1991

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

Over the past few years, there have been highly significant advances in the understanding of the impact of human activities on the Earth's stratospheric ozone layer and the influence of changes in chemical composition of the radiative balance of the climate system. Specifically, since the last international scientific review (1989), there have been five major advances: (1) global ozone decreases; (2) polar ozone; (3) ozone and industrial halocarbons; (4) ozone and climate relations; and (5) ozone depletion potentials (ODP's) and global warming potentials (GWP's). These topics and others are discussed.

Tropical circulation and precipitation response to ozone depletion and recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brönnimann, Stefan; Jacques-Coper, Martín; Rozanov, Eugene; Fischer, Andreas M.; Morgenstern, Olaf; Zeng, Guang; Akiyoshi, Hideharu; Yamashita, Yousuke

2017-06-01

Among the few well established changes in atmospheric circulation in recent decades are those caused by stratospheric ozone depletion. They include a strengthening and poleward contraction of the westerly atmospheric circulation over the Southern extratropics, i.e. a strengthening Southern Annular Mode (SAM), in austral spring and summer. Associated effects on extratropical temperature and precipitation and more recently subtropical precipitation have been documented and are understood in a zonal mean framework. We present zonally asymmetric effects of ozone depletion that reach into the tropics and affect atmospheric circulation and precipitation, including the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ), the most important rainband of the Southern Hemisphere. Using observation-based analyses and model simulations we show that over the 1961-1996 period, ozone depletion led to increased precipitation at the northern flank of the SPCZ and to decreased precipitation to the south. The effects originate from a flow pattern over the southwestern Pacific that extends equatorward and alters the propagation of synoptic waves and thus the position of the SPCZ. Model simulations suggest that anticipated stratospheric ozone recovery over the next decades will reverse these effects.

Depletion of tropospheric ozone associated with mineral dust outbreaks.

PubMed

Soler, Ruben; Nicolás, J F; Caballero, S; Yubero, E; Crespo, J

2016-10-01

From May to September 2012, ozone reductions associated with 15 Saharan dust outbreaks which occurred between May to September 2012 have been evaluated. The campaign was performed at a mountain station located near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The study has two main goals: firstly, to analyze the decreasing gradient of ozone concentration during the course of the Saharan episodes. These gradients vary from 0.2 to 0.6 ppb h(-1) with an average value of 0.39 ppb h(-1). The negative correlation between ozone and coarse particles occurs almost simultaneously. Moreover, although the concentration of coarse particles remained high throughout the episode, the time series shows the saturation of the ozone loss. The highest ozone depletion has been obtained during the last hours of the day, from 18:00 to 23:00 UTC. Outbreaks registered during this campaign have been more intense in this time slot. The second objective is to establish from which coarse particle concentration a significant ozone depletion can be observed and to quantify this reduction. In this regard, it has been confirmed that when the hourly particle concentration recorded during the Saharan dust outbreaks is above the hourly particle median values (N > N-median), the ozone concentration reduction obtained is statistically significant. An average ozone reduction of 5.5 % during Saharan events has been recorded. In certain cases, this percentage can reach values of higher than 15 %.

Stratospheric ozone depletion

PubMed Central

Rowland, F. Sherwood

2006-01-01

Solar ultraviolet radiation creates an ozone layer in the atmosphere which in turn completely absorbs the most energetic fraction of this radiation. This process both warms the air, creating the stratosphere between 15 and 50 km altitude, and protects the biological activities at the Earth's surface from this damaging radiation. In the last half-century, the chemical mechanisms operating within the ozone layer have been shown to include very efficient catalytic chain reactions involving the chemical species HO, HO2, NO, NO2, Cl and ClO. The NOX and ClOX chains involve the emission at Earth's surface of stable molecules in very low concentration (N2O, CCl2F2, CCl3F, etc.) which wander in the atmosphere for as long as a century before absorbing ultraviolet radiation and decomposing to create NO and Cl in the middle of the stratospheric ozone layer. The growing emissions of synthetic chlorofluorocarbon molecules cause a significant diminution in the ozone content of the stratosphere, with the result that more solar ultraviolet-B radiation (290–320 nm wavelength) reaches the surface. This ozone loss occurs in the temperate zone latitudes in all seasons, and especially drastically since the early 1980s in the south polar springtime—the ‘Antarctic ozone hole’. The chemical reactions causing this ozone depletion are primarily based on atomic Cl and ClO, the product of its reaction with ozone. The further manufacture of chlorofluorocarbons has been banned by the 1992 revisions of the 1987 Montreal Protocol of the United Nations. Atmospheric measurements have confirmed that the Protocol has been very successful in reducing further emissions of these molecules. Recovery of the stratosphere to the ozone conditions of the 1950s will occur slowly over the rest of the twenty-first century because of the long lifetime of the precursor molecules. PMID:16627294

The Effects of Volcano-Induced Ozone Depletion on Short-lived Climate Forcing in the Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, P. L.

2012-12-01

Photodissociation of oxygen maintains the stratopause ~50°C warmer than the tropopause. Photodissociation of ozone warms the lower stratosphere, preventing most of this high-energy DNA-damaging solar radiation from reaching the troposphere. Ozone depletion allows more UV energy to reach the lower troposphere causing photodissociation of anthropogenic ozone and nitrogen dioxide. UV energy also penetrates the ocean >10 m where it is absorbed more efficiently than infrared radiation that barely penetrates the surface. Manmade chlorofluorocarbons caused ozone depletion from 1965 to 1994 with slow recovery predicted over the next 50+ years. But the lowest levels of ozone followed the eruptions of Pinatubo (1991 VEI=6), Eyjafjallajökull (2010 VEI=4), and Grímsvötn (2011 VEI=4). Each of the relatively small, basaltic eruptions in Iceland caused more ozone depletion than the long-term effects of chlorofluorocarbons, although total ozone appears to return to pre-eruption levels within a decade. Ozone depletion by 20% increases energy flux thru the lowermost troposphere by 0.7 W m-2 for overhead sun causing temperatures in the lower stratosphere to drop >2°C since 1958 in steps after the 3 largest volcanic eruptions: Agung 1963, El Chichón 1982, and Pinatubo. Temperatures at the surface increased primarily in the regions and at the times of the greatest observed ozone depletion. The greatest warming observed was along the Western Antarctic Peninsula (65.4°S) where minimum temperatures rose 6.7°C from 1951 to 2003 while maximum temperatures remained relatively constant. Minimum total column ozone in September-October was 40-56% lower than in 1972 almost every year since 1987, strongly anti-correlated with observed minimum temperatures. Sea ice decreased 10%, 7 ice shelves separated, 87% of the glaciers retreated and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current warmed. Elsewhere under the ozone hole, warming of continental Antarctica was limited by the high albedo (0.86) of

Global Warming: Lessons from Ozone Depletion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobson, Art

2010-01-01

My teaching and textbook have always covered many physics-related social issues, including stratospheric ozone depletion and global warming. The ozone saga is an inspiring good-news story that's instructive for solving the similar but bigger problem of global warming. Thus, as soon as students in my physics literacy course at the University of…

Ozone layer depletion simulation in an Environmental Chemistry course.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cano, G. S.; Gavilán, I. C.; Garcia-Reynoso, J. A.; Santos, E.; Mendoza, A.; Perea, B.

2015-12-01

The reactions taking place between the ozone (O3) and various compounds present in the stratosphere has been studied extensively. When the balance between these reactions breakdown, destruction of ozone is favored. Here we create an experiment for and Environmental Chemistry laboratory course where students evaluate the ozone behavior by comparing its reactivity to various physical and chemical conditions; and observe the destruction of ozone by the action of halogenated compounds by means of volumetric technic. The conditions used are: (1) Ozone vs. Time; (2) Ozone + UV vs. Time; (3) Ozone + halogenated compound vs. Time; and (4) Ozone + UV + halogenated compound vs. Time. The results show that the O3 breaks down rapidly within about 25 min (Fig). They also explain the chemical reactions that occur in the destruction and generation of the ozone layer and demonstrate ozone depletion through the presence of halogenated compounds. The aim of this work is to bring the knowledge gained from theory into practice and thus the possibility of developing a critical attitude towards various environmental problems that arise today.

UARS Microwave Limb Sounder Observations of Upper Atmosphere Ozone and Chlorine Monoxide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flower, D.; Froidevaux, L.; Jarnot, R.; Read, W.; Waters, J.

1994-01-01

UARS MLS observations of stratospheric ozone and chlorine monoxide are described. Enhanced concentrations of ClO, the predominant form of reactive chlorine responsible for ozone depletion, are seen within both the northern and southern winter polar vortices. In the southern hemisphere, this leads directly to the development of the annual Antarctic ozone hole. While ozone depletion is also observed in the north, it is less severe and there is considerable interannual variability.

A general circulation model study of the climatic effect of observed stratospheric ozone depletion between 1980 and 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudek, Michael P.; Wang, Wei-Chyung; Liang, Xin-Zhong; Li, Zhu

1994-01-01

The total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) and stratospheric aerosol and gas experiment (SAGE) measurements show a significant reduction in the stratospheric ozone over the middle and high latitudes of both hemispheres between the years 1979 and 1991 (WMO, 1992). This change in ozone will effect both the solar and longwave radiation with climate implications. However, recent studies (Ramaswamy et al., 1992; WMO, 1992) indicate that the net effect depends not only on latitudes and seasons, but also on the response of the lower stratospheric temperature. In this study we use a general circulation model (GCM) to calculate the climatic effect due to stratospheric ozone depletion and compare the effect with that due to observed increases of trace gases CO2, CH4, N2O, and CFC's for the period 1980-1990. In the simulations, we use the observed changes in ozone derived from the TOMS data. The GCM used is a version of the NCAR community climate model referenced in Wang et al. (1991). For the present study we run the model in perpetual January and perpetual July modes in which the incoming solar radiation and climatological sea surface temperatures are held constant.

Visualization of stratospheric ozone depletion and the polar vortex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Treinish, Lloyd A.

1995-01-01

Direct analysis of spacecraft observations of stratospheric ozone yields information about the morphology of annual austral depletion. Visual correlation of ozone with other atmospheric data illustrates the diurnal dynamics of the polar vortex and contributions from the upper troposphere, including the formation and breakup of the depletion region each spring. These data require care in their presentation to minimize the introduction of visualization artifacts that are erroneously interpreted as data features. Non geographically registered data of differing mesh structures can be visually correlated via cartographic warping of base geometries without interpolation. Because this approach is independent of the realization technique, it provides a framework for experimenting with many visualization strategies. This methodology preserves the fidelity of the original data sets in a coordinate system suitable for three-dimensional, dynamic examination of atmospheric phenomena.

Ozone Depletion at Mid-Latitudes: Coupling of Volcanic Aerosols and Temperature Variability to Anthropogenic Chlorine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Solomon, S.; Portmann, R. W.; Garcia, R. R.; Randel, W.; Wu, F.; Nagatani, R.; Gleason, J.; Thomason, L.; Poole, L. R.; McCormick, M. P.

1998-01-01

Satellite observations of total ozone at 40-60 deg N are presented from a variety of instruments over the time period 1979-1997. These reveal record low values in 1992-3 (after Pinatubo) followed by partial but incomplete recovery. The largest post-Pinatubo reductions and longer-term trends occur in spring, providing a critical test for chemical theories of ozone depletion. The observations are shown to be consistent with current understanding of the chemistry of ozone depletion when changes in reactive chlorine and stratospheric aerosol abundances are considered along with estimates of wave-driven fluctuations in stratospheric temperatures derived from global temperature analyses. Temperature fluctuations are shown to make significant contributions to model calculated northern mid-latitude ozone depletion due to heterogeneous chlorine activation on liquid sulfate aerosols at temperatures near 200-210 K (depending upon water vapor pressure), particularly after major volcanic eruptions. Future mid-latitude ozone recovery will hence depend not only on chlorine recovery but also on temperature trends and/or variability, volcanic activity, and any trends in stratospheric sulfate aerosol.

Halocarbon ozone depletion and global warming potentials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, Richard A.; Wuebbles, D.; Atkinson, R.; Connell, Peter S.; Dorn, H. P.; Derudder, A.; Derwent, Richard G.; Fehsenfeld, F. C.; Fisher, D.; Isaksen, Ivar S. A.

1990-01-01

Concern over the global environmental consequences of fully halogenated chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) has created a need to determine the potential impacts of other halogenated organic compounds on stratospheric ozone and climate. The CFCs, which do not contain an H atom, are not oxidized or photolyzed in the troposphere. These compounds are transported into the stratosphere where they decompose and can lead to chlorine catalyzed ozone depletion. The hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs or HFCs), in particular those proposed as substitutes for CFCs, contain at least one hydrogen atom in the molecule, which confers on these compounds a much greater sensitivity toward oxidation by hydroxyl radicals in the troposphere, resulting in much shorter atmospheric lifetimes than CFCs, and consequently lower potential for depleting ozone. The available information is reviewed which relates to the lifetime of these compounds (HCFCs and HFCs) in the troposphere, and up-to-date assessments are reported of the potential relative effects of CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, and halons on stratospheric ozone and global climate (through 'greenhouse' global warming).

Ozone depletion following future volcanic eruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eric Klobas, J.; Wilmouth, David M.; Weisenstein, Debra K.; Anderson, James G.; Salawitch, Ross J.

2017-07-01

While explosive volcanic eruptions cause ozone loss in the current atmosphere due to an enhancement in the availability of reactive chlorine following the stratospheric injection of sulfur, future eruptions are expected to increase total column ozone as halogen loading approaches preindustrial levels. The timing of this shift in the impact of major volcanic eruptions on the thickness of the ozone layer is poorly known. Modeling four possible climate futures, we show that scenarios with the smallest increase in greenhouse gas concentrations lead to the greatest risk to ozone from heterogeneous chemical processing following future eruptions. We also show that the presence in the stratosphere of bromine from natural, very short-lived biogenic compounds is critically important for determining whether future eruptions will lead to ozone depletion. If volcanic eruptions inject hydrogen halides into the stratosphere, an effect not considered in current ozone assessments, potentially profound reductions in column ozone would result.

48 CFR 211.271 - Elimination of use of class I ozone-depleting substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... class I ozone-depleting substances. 211.271 Section 211.271 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Using and Maintaining Requirements Documents 211.271 Elimination of use of class I ozone-depleting substances. See subpart 223.8 for restrictions on contracting for ozone-depleting substances. [70 FR 73150...

48 CFR 211.271 - Elimination of use of class I ozone-depleting substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... class I ozone-depleting substances. 211.271 Section 211.271 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Using and Maintaining Requirements Documents 211.271 Elimination of use of class I ozone-depleting substances. See subpart 223.8 for restrictions on contracting for ozone-depleting substances. [70 FR 73150...

48 CFR 211.271 - Elimination of use of class I ozone-depleting substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... class I ozone-depleting substances. 211.271 Section 211.271 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Using and Maintaining Requirements Documents 211.271 Elimination of use of class I ozone-depleting substances. See subpart 223.8 for restrictions on contracting for ozone-depleting substances. [70 FR 73150...

48 CFR 211.271 - Elimination of use of class I ozone-depleting substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... class I ozone-depleting substances. 211.271 Section 211.271 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Using and Maintaining Requirements Documents 211.271 Elimination of use of class I ozone-depleting substances. See subpart 223.8 for restrictions on contracting for ozone-depleting substances. [70 FR 73150...

48 CFR 211.271 - Elimination of use of class I ozone-depleting substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... class I ozone-depleting substances. 211.271 Section 211.271 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Using and Maintaining Requirements Documents 211.271 Elimination of use of class I ozone-depleting substances. See subpart 223.8 for restrictions on contracting for ozone-depleting substances. [70 FR 73150...

Simulation of Halocarbon Production and Emissions and Effects on Ozone Depletion

PubMed

Holmes; Ellis

1997-09-01

/ This paper describes an integrated model that simulates future halocarbon production/emissions and potential ozone depletion. Applications and historical production levels for various halocarbons are discussed first. A framework is then presented for modeling future halocarbon impacts incorporating differences in underlying demands, applications, regulatory mandates, and environmental characteristics. The model is used to simulate the potential impacts of several prominent issues relating to halocarbon production, regulation, and environmental interactions, notably: changes in agricultural methyl bromide use, increases in effectiveness of bromine for ozone depletion, modifications to the elimination schedule for HCFCs, short-term expansion of CFC demand in low use compliance countries, and delays in Russian Federation compliance. Individually, each issue does not unequivocally represent a significant likely increase in long-term atmospheric halogen loading and stratospheric ozone depletion. In combination, however, these impacts could increase peak halogen concentrations and long-term integral halogen loading, resulting in higher levels of stratospheric ozone depletion and longer exposure to increased levels of UV radiation.KEY WORDS: Halocarbons; Ozone depletion; Montreal Protocol; Integrated assessment

Arctic chlorine monoxide observations during spring 1993 over Thule, Greenland, and implications for ozone depletion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shindell, D. T.; Reeves, J. M.; Emmons, L. K.; De Zafra, R. L.

1994-01-01

We have determined the vertical distribution of chlorine monoxide (ClO), from measurements of pressure-broadened molecular-emission spectra made over Thule, Greenland, during the 1993 Arctic spring. The measurements show a weak lower stratospheric layer of chlorine monoxide inside the vortex in late February, which was, however, significantly greater in mixing ratio than that seen in observations we made in the spring of 1992. ClO was also observed in much smaller quantities in early to mid-March 1993 when Thule was outside the vortex. The amount of ClO within the vortex was severely reduced by the time it returned over Thule in late March. This reduction occurred several weeks earlier relative to the winter solstice than the decline of ClO inside the Antarctic vortex in 1993. The enhanced Arctic lower stratospheric layer seen in late February 1993 at a nearly equivalent photochemical period, and beyond. We have calculated daily ozone loss rates, due primarily to the dimer chlorine catalytic cycle, from both sets of measurements. The vertical integral of the Arctic daily percentage ozone loss when the largest ClO levels were present, at the end of February, is found to be approximately one quarter of that in the Antarctic at a photochemical period only 1 week later. The relative weakness of daily ozone depletion, combined with the early disappearance of ClO in the Arctic, suggests that hemispheric dilution by ozone-poor air from within the Arctic vortex is unlikely to be sufficient to explain the historically extreme loss of midlatitude northern hemisphere ozone which began in 1992 and persisted throughout 1993.

26 CFR 52.4681-1 - Taxes imposed with respect to ozone-depleting chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Taxes imposed with respect to ozone-depleting... to ozone-depleting chemicals. (a) Taxes imposed. Sections 4681 and 4682 impose the following taxes with respect to ozone-depleting chemicals (ODCs): (1) Tax on ODCs. Section 4681(a)(1) imposes a tax on...

26 CFR 52.4681-1 - Taxes imposed with respect to ozone-depleting chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Taxes imposed with respect to ozone-depleting... to ozone-depleting chemicals. (a) Taxes imposed. Sections 4681 and 4682 impose the following taxes with respect to ozone-depleting chemicals (ODCs): (1) Tax on ODCs. Section 4681(a)(1) imposes a tax on...

26 CFR 52.4681-1 - Taxes imposed with respect to ozone-depleting chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Taxes imposed with respect to ozone-depleting... to ozone-depleting chemicals. (a) Taxes imposed. Sections 4681 and 4682 impose the following taxes with respect to ozone-depleting chemicals (ODCs): (1) Tax on ODCs. Section 4681(a)(1) imposes a tax on...

26 CFR 52.4681-1 - Taxes imposed with respect to ozone-depleting chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Taxes imposed with respect to ozone-depleting... to ozone-depleting chemicals. (a) Taxes imposed. Sections 4681 and 4682 impose the following taxes with respect to ozone-depleting chemicals (ODCs): (1) Tax on ODCs. Section 4681(a)(1) imposes a tax on...

A feasibility study of methods for stopping the depletion of ozone over Antarctica

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Ways of stopping the ozone depletion in the ozone hole over Antarctica were studied. The basic objectives were: (1) to define and understand the phenomenon of the ozone hole; (2) to determine possible methods of stopping the ozone depletion; (3) to identify unknowns about the hole and possible solutions. Two basic ways of attacking the problem were identified. First is replenishment of ozone as it is being depleted. Second is elimination of ozone destroying agents from the atmosphere. The second method is a more permanent form of the solution. Elimination and replenishment methods are discussed in detail.

Stratospheric ozone depletion from future nitrous oxide increases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, W.; Tian, W.; Dhomse, S.; Xie, F.; Shu, J.; Austin, J.

2014-12-01

We have investigated the impact of the assumed nitrous oxide (N2O) increases on stratospheric chemistry and dynamics using a series of idealized simulations with a coupled chemistry-climate model (CCM). In a future cooler stratosphere the net yield of NOy from N2O is shown to decrease in a reference run following the IPCC A1B scenario, but NOy can still be significantly increased by extra increases of N2O over 2001-2050. Over the last decade of simulations, 50% increases in N2O result in a maximal 6% reduction in ozone mixing ratios in the middle stratosphere at around 10 hPa and an average 2% decrease in the total ozone column (TCO) compared with the control run. This enhanced destruction could cause an ozone decline in the first half of this century in the middle stratosphere around 10 hPa, while global TCO still shows an increase at the same time. The results from a multiple linear regression analysis and sensitivity simulations with different forcings show that the chemical effect of N2O increases dominates the N2O-induced ozone depletion in the stratosphere, while the dynamical and radiative effects of N2O increases are overall insignificant. The analysis of the results reveals that the ozone depleting potential of N2O varies with the time period and is influenced by the environmental conditions. For example, carbon dioxide (CO2) increases can strongly offset the ozone depletion effect of N2O.

Biomedical consequences of ozone depletion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coohill, Thomas P.

1994-07-01

It is widely agreed that a portion of the earth's protective stratospheric ozone layer is being depleted. The major effect of this ozone loss will be an increase in the amount of ultraviolet radiation (UV reaching the biosphere. This increase will be completely contained within the UVB (290nm - 320nm). It is imperative that assessments be made of the effects of this additional UVB on living organisms. This requires a detailed knowledge of the UVB photobiology of these life forms. One analytical technique to aid in the approximations is the construction of UV action spectra for such important biological end-points as human skin cancer, cataracts, immune suppression; plant photosynthesis and crop yields; and aquatic organism responses to UVB, especially the phytoplankton. Combining these action spectra with the known solar spectrum (and estimates for various ozone depletion scenarios) can give rise to a series of effectiveness spectra for these parameters. This manuscript gives a first approximation, rough estimate, for the effectiveness spectra for some of these bioresponses, and a series of crude temporary values for how a 10% ozone loss would affect the above end-points. These are not intended to masquerade as final answers, but rather, to serve as beginning attempts for a process which should be continually refined. It is hoped that these estimates will be of some limited use to agencies, such as government and industry, that have to plan now for changes in human activities that might alter future atmospheric chemistry in a beneficial manner.

Producing, Importing, and Exporting Ozone-Depleting Substances

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Overview page provides links to information on producing, importing, and exporting ozone-depleting substances, including information about the HCFC allowance system, importing, labeling, recordkeeping and reporting.

High School and College Student Perceptions of the Ozone Depletion Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groves, Fred; Pugh, Ava

This paper examines the knowledge of high school biology students (n=107), undergraduate elementary education majors (n=42), and graduate students in an advanced elementary science methods course (n=22) about ozone depletion. The questionnaire used contained 30 items pertaining to ozone depletion which were divided into three subscales: (1)…

Possible ozone depletions following nuclear explosions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitten, R. C.; Borucki, W. J.; Turco, R. P.

1975-01-01

The degree of depletion of the ozone layer ensuing after delivery of strategic nuclear warheads (5000 and 10,000 Mton) due to production of nitrogen oxides is theoretically assessed. Strong depletions are calculated for 16-km and 26-km altitudes, peaking 1-2 months after detonation and lasting for three years, while a significant depletion at 36 km would peak after one year. Assuming the explosions occur between 30 and 70 deg N, these effects should be much more pronounced in this region than over the Northern Hemisphere as a whole. It is concluded that Hampson's concern on this matter (1974) is well-founded.-

Volcanic aerosol and ozone depletion within the Antarctic polar vortex during the austral spring of 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deshler, T.; Adriani, A.; Gobbi, G.P.

1992-09-01

In the spring of 1991 the Antarctic lower stratosphere was characterized by a layer of volcanic aerosol from the Cerro Hudson eruption. This aerosol layer was observed from McMurdo Station, Antarctica, with both lidar and balloonborne particle counters beginning around 10 September. After 20 September the aerosol was observed daily between 9 and 13 km. In this layer homogeneous nucleation of new aerosol was observed with concentrations greater than 6000/cu cm. Comparisons of scattering ratio calculated from measured particle size distributions agree best with the lidar measurements when a real index of refraction near 1.5 is used. In the pastmore » 5 years of measurements, ozone below 13 km has been relatively unchanged during the annual Antartic ozone depletion; however, in 1991 ozone below 13 km decreased at a rate of 4 - 8 ppb/day over 30 days. This change began shortly after the appearance of the volcanic aerosol, providing direct measurements correlating volcanic aerosol and ozone depletion. 16 refs.« less

2011 Arctic ozone depletion as seen by ESA-ENVISAT Atmospheric-Chemistry sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brizzi, G.; Niro, F.; Saavedra de Miguel, L.; Dehn, A.; Scarpino, G.; Fehr, T.; von Kuhlmann, R.

2011-12-01

Three Atmospheric-Chemistry sensors on-board the ENVISAT satellite (GOMOS, MIPAS, and SCIAMACHY) sound the Earth's atmosphere since about nine years and provide to the science community three separated, but complementary data sets of the most interesting atmospheric trace gases. These extended and coherent data sets, generated with ESA operational processors, give a historical overview over seasonal and long-term trends of geophysical parameters and allow investigating major atmospheric phenomena and natural events. During March 2011, ESA's satellite ENVISAT detected the severe ozone depletion above the Euro-Atlantic sector of the Northern Hemisphere. This record-breaking loss for the ozone layer over the North Pole was mainly caused by unusual polar vortex conditions characterized by very low temperatures in the Arctic stratosphere. This paper presents the chemical ozone depletion over the Arctic regions as detected by SCIAMACHY, MIPAS and GOMOS during spring of 2011. Global maps of total ozone column and vertical ozone profiles along the mission's lifetime clearly show the unprecedented Arctic ozone loss for 2011 with the subsequent migration of ozone depleted air masses towards lower latitudes. ENVISAT's atmospheric measurements reveal changes in the composition of the ozone-related chemical species and permit to point out the chemical correlations of the ozone distribution with nitrogen and chlorine compounds and with the evolution of stratospheric temperatures. The synergistic use of ESA operational data sets from the three instruments allows to closely monitor the occurrence and extension of seasonal ozone depletion events, and to draw a comprehensive picture of all chemistry processes involved in the full atmospheric range.

Changes in tropospheric composition and air quality due to stratospheric ozone depletion.

PubMed

Solomon, Keith R; Tang, Xiaoyan; Wilson, Stephen R; Zanis, Prodromos; Bais, Alkiviadis F

2003-01-01

Increased UV-B through stratospheric ozone depletion leads to an increased chemical activity in the lower atmosphere (the troposphere). The effect of stratospheric ozone depletion on tropospheric ozone is small (though significant) compared to the ozone generated anthropogenically in areas already experiencing air pollution. Modeling and experimental studies suggest that the impacts of stratospheric ozone depletion on tropospheric ozone are different at different altitudes and for different chemical regimes. As a result the increase in ozone due to stratospheric ozone depletion may be greater in polluted regions. Attributable effects on concentrations are expected only in regions where local emissions make minor contributions. The vertical distribution of NOx (NO + NO2), the emission of volatile organic compounds and the abundance of water vapor, are important influencing factors. The long-term nature of stratospheric ozone depletion means that even a small increase in tropospheric ozone concentration can have a significant impact on human health and the environment. Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and chlorodifluoroacetic acid (CDFA) are produced by the atmospheric degradation of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). TFA has been measured in rain, rivers, lakes, and oceans, the ultimate sink for these and related compounds. Significant anthropogenic sources of TFA other than degradation HCFCs and HFCs have been identified. Toxicity tests under field conditions indicate that the concentrations of TFA and CDFA currently produced by the atmospheric degradation of HFCs and HCFCs do not present a risk to human health and the environment. The impact of the interaction between ozone depletion and future climate change is complex and a significant area of current research. For air quality and tropospheric composition, a range of physical parameters such as temperature, cloudiness and atmospheric transport will modify the impact of UV-B. Changes in the

40 CFR Appendix F to Subpart A of... - Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 18 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals F...) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) PROTECTION OF STRATOSPHERIC OZONE Production and Consumption Controls Pt. 82, Subpt. A, App. F Appendix F to Subpart A of Part 82—Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals Controlled...

40 CFR Appendix F to Subpart A of... - Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 18 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals F...) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) PROTECTION OF STRATOSPHERIC OZONE Production and Consumption Controls Pt. 82, Subpt. A, App. F Appendix F to Subpart A of Part 82—Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals Controlled...

40 CFR Appendix F to Subpart A of... - Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 18 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals F...) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) PROTECTION OF STRATOSPHERIC OZONE Production and Consumption Controls Pt. 82, Subpt. A, App. F Appendix F to Subpart A of Part 82—Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals Controlled...

Is There Evidence that Mid-Latitude Stratospheric Ozone Depletion Occurs in Conjunction with North American Monsoon Convection?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenlof, K. H.; Ray, E. A.; Portmann, R. W.

2017-12-01

A recent study suggests that during the period of the summertime North American Monsoon (NAM), ozone depletion could occur as a result of catalytic ozone destruction associated with the cold and wet conditions caused by overshooting convection. Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) water vapor measurements do show that the NAM region is wetter than other parts of the globe in regards to both the mean and extremes. However, definitive evidence of ozone depletion occurring in that region has not been presented. In this study, we examine coincident measurements of water vapor, ozone, and tropospheric tracers from aircraft data taken during the Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC4RS) aircraft campaign looking specifically for ozone depletion in regions identified as impacted by overshooting convection. Although we do find evidence of lower ozone values in air impacted by convective overshoots, using tropospheric tracers we attribute those observations to input of tropospheric air rather than catalytic ozone destruction. Additionally, we explore the consequences of these lower ozone values on surface UV, and conclude that there is minimal impact on the UV index.

Teaching about ozone layer depletion in Turkey: pedagogical content knowledge of science teachers.

PubMed

Bozkurt, Orçun; Kaya, Osman Nafiz

2008-04-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pedagogical content knowledge of Prospective Science Teachers (PSTs) on the topic of "ozone layer depletion." In order to explore PSTs' subject matter knowledge on ozone layer depletion, they were given a form of multiple-choice test where they needed to write the reasons behind their answers. This test was completed by 140 PSTs in their final year at the College of Education. Individual interviews were carried out with 42 randomly selected PSTs to determine their pedagogical knowledge about ozone layer depletion. Data were obtained from the study which indicate that the PSTs did not have adequate subject matter and pedagogical knowledge to teach the topic of ozone layer depletion to middle school students. It was also evident that the PSTs held various misconceptions related to ozone layer depletion. PSTs' inadequate pedagogical knowledge was found in the areas of the curriculum, learning difficulties of students, and instructional strategies and activities. This study provides some pedagogical implications for the training of science teachers.

77 FR 74381 - Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Listing of Substitutes for Ozone Depleting Substances-Fire...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-14

... Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Listing of Substitutes for Ozone Depleting Substances--Fire Suppression... a companion proposed rule issuing listings for three fire suppressants under EPA's Significant New... companion proposed rule issuing listings for three fire suppressants under EPA's Significant New...

21 CFR 2.125 - Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs, devices, or cosmetics.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs... Specific Products Subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act § 2.125 Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs, devices, or cosmetics. (a) As used in this section, ozone-depleting substance...

21 CFR 2.125 - Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs, devices, or cosmetics.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs... Specific Products Subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act § 2.125 Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs, devices, or cosmetics. (a) As used in this section, ozone-depleting substance...

21 CFR 2.125 - Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs, devices, or cosmetics.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs... Specific Products Subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act § 2.125 Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs, devices, or cosmetics. (a) As used in this section, ozone-depleting substance...

21 CFR 2.125 - Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs, devices, or cosmetics.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs... Specific Products Subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act § 2.125 Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs, devices, or cosmetics. (a) As used in this section, ozone-depleting substance...

Changes in tropospheric composition and air quality due to stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change.

PubMed

Wilson, S R; Solomon, K R; Tang, X

2007-03-01

It is well-understood that reductions in air quality play a significant role in both environmental and human health. Interactions between ozone depletion and global climate change will significantly alter atmospheric chemistry which, in turn, will cause changes in concentrations of natural and human-made gases and aerosols. Models predict that tropospheric ozone near the surface will increase globally by up to 10 to 30 ppbv (33 to 100% increase) during the period 2000 to 2100. With the increase in the amount of the stratospheric ozone, increased transport from the stratosphere to the troposphere will result in different responses in polluted and unpolluted areas. In contrast, global changes in tropospheric hydroxyl radical (OH) are not predicted to be large, except where influenced by the presence of oxidizable organic matter, such as from large-scale forest fires. Recent measurements in a relatively clean location over 5 years showed that OH concentrations can be predicted by the intensity of solar ultraviolet radiation. If this relationship is confirmed by further observations, this approach could be used to simplify assessments of air quality. Analysis of surface-level ozone observations in Antarctica suggests that there has been a significant change in the chemistry of the boundary layer of the atmosphere in this region as a result of stratospheric ozone depletion. The oxidation potential of the Antarctic boundary layer is estimated to be greater now than before the development of the ozone hole. Recent modeling studies have suggested that iodine and iodine-containing substances from natural sources, such as the ocean, may increase stratospheric ozone depletion significantly in polar regions during spring. Given the uncertainty of the fate of iodine in the stratosphere, the results may also be relevant for stratospheric ozone depletion and measurements of the influence of these substances on ozone depletion should be considered in the future. In agreement with

21 CFR 2.125 - Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs, devices, or cosmetics.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Use of ozone-depleting substances in foods, drugs... Specific Products Subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act § 2.125 Use of ozone-depleting... 75 FR 19241, Apr. 14, 2010. (a) As used in this section, ozone-depleting substance (ODS) means any...

Environmental effects of ozone depletion and its interactions with climate change: progress report, 2007.

PubMed

2008-01-01

This year the Montreal Protocol celebrates its 20th Anniversary. In September 1987, 24 countries signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Today 191 countries have signed and have met strict commitments on phasing out of ozone depleting substances with the result that a 95% reduction of these substances has been achieved. The Montreal Protocol has also contributed to slowing the rate of global climate change, since most of the ozone depleting substances are also effective greenhouse gases. Even though much has been achieved, the future of the stratospheric ozone layer relies on full compliance of the Montreal Protocol by all countries for the remaining substances, including methyl bromide, as well as strict monitoring of potential risks from the production of substitute chemicals. Also the ozone depleting substances existing in banks and equipment need special attention to prevent their release to the stratosphere. Since many of the ozone depleting substances already in the atmosphere are long-lived, recovery cannot be immediate and present projections estimate a return to pre-1980 levels by 2050 to 2075. It has also been predicted that the interactions of the effects of the ozone layer and that of other climate change factors will become increasingly important.

Potential For Stratospheric Ozone Depletion During Carboniferous

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bill, M.; Goldstein, A. H.

Methyl bromide (CH3Br) constitutes the largest source of bromine atoms to the strato- sphere whereas methyl chloride (CH3Cl) is the most abundant halocarbon in the tro- posphere. Both gases play an important role in stratospheric ozone depletion. For in- stance, Br coupled reactions are responsible for 30 to 50 % of total ozone loss in the polar vortex. Currently, the largest natural sources of CH3Br and CH3Cl appear to be biological production in the oceans, inorganic production during biomass burning and plant production in salt marsh ecosystems. Variations of paleofluxes of CH3Br and CH3Cl can be estimated by analyses of oceanic paleoproductivity, stratigraphic analyses of frequency and distribution of fossil charcoal indicating the occurrence of wildfires, and/or by paleoreconstruction indicating the extent of salt marshes. Dur- ing the lower Carboniferous time (Tournaisian-Visean), the southern margin of the Laurasian continent was characterized by charcoal deposits. Estimation on frequency of charcoal layers indicates that wildfires occur in a range of 3-35 years (Falcon-Lang 2000). This suggests that biomass burning could be an important source of CH3Br and CH3Cl during Tournaisian-Viesan time. During Tounaisian and until Merame- cian carbon and oxygen isotope records have short term oscillations (Bruckschen et al. 1999, Mii et al. 1999). Chesterian time (mid- Carboniferous) is marked by an in- crease in delta18O values ( ~ 2 permil) and an increase of glacial deposit frequency suggesting lower temperatures. The occurrence of glacial deposits over the paleopole suggests polar conditions and the associated special features of polar mete- orology such as strong circumpolar wind in the stratosphere (polar vortex) and polar stratospheric clouds. Thus, conditions leading to polar statospheric ozone depletion can be found. Simultaneously an increase in delta13C values is documented. We interpret the positive shift in delta13C as a result of higher bioproductivity

Ozone Depletion in the Arctic Lower Stratosphere; Timing and Impacts on the Polar Vortex.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rae, Cameron; Pyle, John

2017-04-01

There a strong link between ozone depletion in the Antarctic lower stratosphere and the strength/duration of the southern hemisphere polar vortex. Ozone depletion arising from enhanced levels of ODS in the lower stratosphere during the last few decades of the 20th century has been accompanied by a delay in the final warming date in the southern hemisphere. The delay in final warming is associated with anomalous tropospheric conditions. The relationship in the Arctic, however, is less clear as the northern hemisphere experiences relatively less intense ozone destruction in the Arctic lower stratosphere and the polar vortex is generally less stable. This study investigates the impacts of imposed lower stratospheric ozone depletion on the evolution of the polar vortex, particularly in the late-spring towards the end of its lifetime. A perpetual-year integration is compared with a series of near-identical seasonal integrations which differ only by an imposed artificial ozone depletion event, occurring a fixed number of days before the polar vortex final warming date each year. Any differences between the seasonal forecasts and perpetual year simulation are due to the timely occurrence of a strong ozone depletion event in the late-spring Arctic polar vortex. This ensemble of seasonal forecasts demonstrates the impacts that a strong ozone depletion event in the Arctic lower stratosphere will have on the evolution of the polar vortex, and highlights tropospheric impacts associated with this phenomenon.

Detectability of the impacts of ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases upon stratospheric ozone accounting for nonlinearities in historical forcings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandoro, Justin; Solomon, Susan; Santer, Benjamin D.; Kinnison, Douglas E.; Mills, Michael J.

2018-01-01

We perform a formal attribution study of upper- and lower-stratospheric ozone changes using observations together with simulations from the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model. Historical model simulations were used to estimate the zonal-mean response patterns (fingerprints) to combined forcing by ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) and well-mixed greenhouse gases (GHGs), as well as to the individual forcing by each factor. Trends in the similarity between the searched-for fingerprints and homogenized observations of stratospheric ozone were compared to trends in pattern similarity between the fingerprints and the internally and naturally generated variability inferred from long control runs. This yields estimated signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios for each of the three fingerprints (ODS, GHG, and ODS + GHG). In both the upper stratosphere (defined in this paper as 1 to 10 hPa) and lower stratosphere (40 to 100 hPa), the spatial fingerprints of the ODS + GHG and ODS-only patterns were consistently detectable not only during the era of maximum ozone depletion but also throughout the observational record (1984-2016). We also develop a fingerprint attribution method to account for forcings whose time evolutions are markedly nonlinear over the observational record. When the nonlinearity of the time evolution of the ODS and ODS + GHG signals is accounted for, we find that the S/N ratios obtained with the stratospheric ODS and ODS + GHG fingerprints are enhanced relative to standard linear trend analysis. Use of the nonlinear signal detection method also reduces the detection time - the estimate of the date at which ODS and GHG impacts on ozone can be formally identified. Furthermore, by explicitly considering nonlinear signal evolution, the complete observational record can be used in the S/N analysis, without applying piecewise linear regression and introducing arbitrary break points. The GHG-driven fingerprint of ozone changes was not statistically identifiable in

The Impact of Ozone Depleting Substances on Tropical Upwelling, as Revealed by the Absence of Lower Stratospheric Cooling since the Late 1990s

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polvani, L. M.; Wang, L.; Aquila, V.; Waugh, D.

2016-12-01

The impact of ozone depleting substances on global lower stratospheric temperature trends is widely recognized. In the tropics, however, understanding lower stratospheric temperature trends has proven more challenging. While the tropical lower stratospheric cooling observed from 1979 to 1997 has also been shown to result almost entirely from ozone decreases, those ozone trends cannot be of chemical origin, as active chlorine is not abundant in the tropical lower stratosphere. The 1979-1997 tropical ozone trends are believed to originate from enhanced upwelling which, it is often stated, would be driven by increasing concentrations of well mixed greenhouse gases. In this study, using simple arguments based on observational evidence after 1997, combined with model integrations with incrementally added single forcings, we argue that ozone depleting substances, not well mixed greenhouse gases, have been the primary driver of temperature and ozone trends in the tropical lower stratosphere until 1997, and this has occurred because ozone depleting substances affect tropical upwelling and the entire Brewer-Dobson circulation.

Effects of Greenhouse Gas Increase and Stratospheric Ozone Depletion on Stratospheric Mean Age of Air in 1960-2010

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Feng; Newman, Paul; Pawson, Steven; Perlwitz, Judith

2018-01-01

The relative impacts of greenhouse gas (GHG) increase and stratospheric ozone depletion on stratospheric mean age of air in the 1960-2010 period are quantified using the Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry-�Climate Model. The experiment compares controlled simulations using a coupled atmosphere-�ocean version of the Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry-�Climate Model, in which either GHGs or ozone depleting substances, or both factors evolve over time. The model results show that GHGs and ozone-depleting substances have about equal contributions to the simulated mean age decrease, but GHG increases account for about two thirds of the enhanced strength of the lower stratospheric residual circulation. It is also found that both the acceleration of the diabatic circulation and the decrease of the mean age difference between downwelling and upwelling regions are mainly caused by GHG forcing. The results show that ozone depletion causes an increase in the mean age of air in the Antarctic summer lower stratosphere through two processes: (1) a seasonal delay in the Antarctic polar vortex breakup that inhibits young midlatitude air from mixing with the older air inside the vortex, and (2) enhanced Antarctic downwelling that brings older air from middle and upper stratosphere into the lower stratosphere.

Microphysical Modelling of the 1999-2000 Arctic Winter. 2; Chlorine Activation and Ozone Depletion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drdla, K.; Schoeberl, M. R.; Gore, Warren J. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The effect of a range of assumptions about polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) on ozone depletion has been assessed using at couple microphysical/photochemical model. The composition of the PSCs was varied (ternary solutions, nitric acid trihydrate, nitric acid dehydrate, or ice), as were parameters that affected the levels of denitrification and dehydration. Ozone depletion was affected by assumptions about PSC freezing because of the variability in resultant nitrification chlorine activation in all scenarios was similar despite the range of assumed PSC compositions. Vortex-average ozone loss exceeded 40% in the lower stratosphere for simulations without nitrification an additional ozone loss of 15-20% was possible in scenarios where vortex-average nitrification reached 60%. Ozone loss intensifies non-linearly with enhanced nitrification in air parcels with 90% nitrification 40% ozone loss in mid-April can be attributed to nitrification alone. However, these effects are sensitive to the stability of the vortex in springtime: nitrification only began to influence ozone depletion in mid-March.

Polar ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Solomon, S.; Grose, W. L.; Jones, R. L.; Mccormick, M. P.; Molina, Mario J.; Oneill, A.; Poole, L. R.; Shine, K. P.; Plumb, R. A.; Pope, V.

1990-01-01

The observation and interpretation of a large, unexpected ozone depletion over Antarctica has changed the international scientific view of stratospheric chemistry. The observations which show the veracity, seasonal nature, and vertical structure of the Antarctic ozone hole are presented. Evidence for Arctic and midlatitude ozone loss is also discussed. The chemical theory for Antarctic ozone depletion centers around the occurrence of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) in Antarctic winter and spring; the climatology and radiative properties of these clouds are presented. Lab studies of the physical properties of PSCs and the chemical processes that subsequently influence ozone depletion are discussed. Observations and interpretation of the chemical composition of the Antarctic stratosphere are described. It is shown that the observed, greatly enhanced abundances of chlorine monoxide in the lower stratosphere are sufficient to explain much if not all of the ozone decrease. The dynamic meteorology of both polar regions is given, interannual and interhemispheric variations in dynamical processes are outlined, and their likely roles in ozone loss are discussed.

Improvements in Total Column Ozone in GEOSCCM and Comparisons with a New Ozone-Depleting Substances Scenario

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oman, Luke D.; Douglass, Anne R.

2014-01-01

The evolution of ozone is examined in the latest version of the Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry-Climate Model (GEOSCCM) using old and new ozone-depleting substances (ODS) scenarios. This version of GEOSCCM includes a representation of the quasi-biennial oscillation, a more realistic implementation of ozone chemistry at high solar zenith angles, an improved air/sea roughness parameterization, and an extra 5 parts per trillion of CH3Br to account for brominated very short-lived substances. Together these additions improve the representation of ozone compared to observations. This improved version of GEOSCCM was used to simulate the ozone evolution for the A1 2010 and the newStratosphere-troposphere Processes and their Role in Climate (SPARC) 2013 ODS scenario derived using the SPARC Lifetimes Report 2013. This new ODS scenario results in a maximum Cltot increase of 65 parts per trillion by volume (pptv), decreasing slightly to 60 pptv by 2100. Approximately 72% of the increase is due to the longer lifetime of CFC-11. The quasi-global (60degS-60degN) total column ozone difference is relatively small and less than 1Dobson unit on average and consistent with the 3-4% larger 2050-2080 average Cly in the new SPARC 2013 scenario. Over high latitudes, this small change in Cly compared to the relatively large natural variabilitymakes it not possible to discern a significant impact on ozone in the second half of the 21st century in a single set of simulations.

Terrestrial Ozone Depletion Due to a Milky Way Gamma-Ray Burst

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Brian C.; Jackman, Charles H.; Melott, Adrian L.; Laird, Claude M.; Stolarski, Richard S.; Gehrels, Neil; Cannizzo, John K.; Hogan, Daniel P.

2005-01-01

Based on cosmological rates, it is probable that at least once in the last Gy the Earth has been irradiated by a gamma-ray burst in our Galaxy from within 2 kpc. Using a two-dimensional atmospheric model we have computed the effects upon the Earth's atmosphere of one such burst. A ten second burst delivering 100 kJ/sq m to the Earth results in globally averaged ozone depletion of 35%, with depletion reaching 55% at some latitudes. Significant global depletion persists for over 5 years after the burst. This depletion would have dramatic implications for life since a 50% decrease in ozone column density results in approximately three times the normal UVB flux. Widespread extinctions are likely, based on extrapolation from UVB sensitivity of modern organisms.

Observation of NO(x) Enhancement and Ozone Depletion in the Northern and Southern hemispheres after the October-November 2003 Solar Proton Events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lopez-Puertas, M.; Funke, B.; Gil-Lopez, S.; vonClarmann, T.; Stiller, G. P.; Hoepfner, M.; Kellmann, S.; Fischer, H.; Jackman, C. H.

2005-01-01

The large solar storms in October-November 2003 produced enormous solar proton events (SPEs) where high energetic particles reached the Earth and penetrated into the middle atmosphere in the polar regions. At this time, the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) was observing the atmosphere in the 6-68 km altitude range. MIPAS observations of NO(x) (NO+NO2) and O3 of the period from 25 October to 14 November 2003 are the first global measurements of NO(x) species, covering both the summer (daylight) and winter (dark) polar regions during an SPE. Very large values of NO(x) in the upper stratosphere of 180 ppbv (parts per billion by volume) have been measured, and a large asymmetry in Northern and Southern polar cap NO(x) enhancements was found. Arctic mean polar cap (>60 deg) NO(x) enhancements of 20 to 70 ppbv between 40 to 60 km lasted for at least two weeks, while the Antarctic mean NO(x) enhancement was between 10 and 35 ppbv and was halved after two weeks. Ozone shows depletion signatures associated with both HO(x) (H+OH+HO2) and NO(x) enhancements but at different time scales. Arctic lower mesospheric (upper stratospheric) ozone is reduced by 50-70% (30-40%) for about two weeks The large solar storms in October-November 2003 produced after the SPEs. A smaller ozone depletion signal was observed in the Antarctic atmosphere. After the locally produced Arctic middle and upper stratospheric as well as mesospheric NO(x) enhancement, large amounts of NO(x) were observed until the end of December. These are explained by downward transport processes.

Contribution of different PSC types to Arctic ozone depletion caused by chlorine activation and denitrification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirner, Oliver; Khosrawi, Farah; Müller, Rolf; Weimer, Michael; Ruhnke, Roland

2017-04-01

Heterogeneous reactions on the surfaces of PSC particles and denitrification of the stratosphere are the cause for polar ozone depletion in spring. In a former study we investigated the impact of different types of PSCs on Antarctic ozone depletion with the help of the chemistry-climate model ECHAM5/MESSy Atmospheric chemistry (EMAC). In this study, we investigate the impact of PSCs on Arctic ozone loss. One standard and four sensitivity EMAC simulations (nudged with ERA-Interim) have been performed to evaluate the contribution of liquid, NAT and ice particles to ozone depletion in the Arctic winters 2010/2011 and 2015/2016 due to chlorine activation by heterogeneous chemistry on their surfaces and due to denitrification of the stratosphere. In the first three sensitivity simulations, we changed the heterogeneous chemistry on PSC particles by switching on and off the chemistry on liquid, NAT and ice particles. One further sensitivity simulation without NAT formation (only liquid and ice particles) was performed to evaluate the contribution of NAT to Arctic ozone depletion due to denitrification of the stratosphere. With the help of these different EMAC simulations, we will show the significance of liquid, NAT and ice particles to Arctic ozone depletion caused by chlorine activation and denitrification.

STRATOSPHERIC OZONE DEPLETION: A FOCUS ON EPA'S RESEARCH

EPA Science Inventory

In September of 1987 the United States, along with 26 other countries, signed a landmark treaty to limit and subsequently, through revisions, phase out the production of all significant ozone depleting substances. Many researchers suspected that these chemicals, especially chl...

40 CFR Appendix F to Subpart A of... - Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals F..., Subpt. A, App. F Appendix F to Subpart A of Part 82—Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals Controlled...-Monochloropentafluoroethane (CFC-115) 0.6 400.0 2.0 0.00 All isomers of the above chemicals [Reserved] 2. Group II: CF2 ClBr...

40 CFR Appendix F to Subpart A of... - Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals F..., Subpt. A, App. F Appendix F to Subpart A of Part 82—Listing of Ozone-Depleting Chemicals Controlled...-Monochloropentafluoroethane (CFC-115) 0.6 400.0 2.0 0.00 All isomers of the above chemicals [Reserved] 2. Group II: CF2 ClBr...

Impact and mitigation of stratospheric ozone depletion by chemical rockets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mcdonald, A.J.

1992-03-01

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) conducted a workshop in conjunction with the 1991 AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference in Sacramento, California, to assess the impact of chemical rocket propulsion on the environment. The workshop included recognized experts from the fields of atmospheric physics and chemistry, solid rocket propulsion, liquid rocket propulsion, government, and environmental agencies, and representatives from several responsible environmental organizations. The conclusion from this workshop relative to stratospheric ozone depletion was that neither solid nor liquid rocket launchers have a significant impact on stratospheric ozone depletion, and that there is no real significant difference between themore » two.« less

LIDAR measurements of Arctic boundary layer ozone depletion events over the frozen Arctic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seabrook, J. A.; Whiteway, J.; Staebler, R. M.; Bottenheim, J. W.; Komguem, L.; Gray, L. H.; Barber, D.; Asplin, M.

2011-09-01

A differential absorption light detection and ranging instrument (Differential Absorption LIDAR or DIAL) was installed on-board the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Amundsen and operated during the winter and spring of 2008. During this period the vessel was stationed in the Amundsen Gulf (71°N, 121-124°W), approximately 10-40 km off the south coast of Banks Island. The LIDAR was operated to obtain a continuous record of the vertical profile of ozone concentration in the lower atmosphere over the sea ice during the polar sunrise. The observations included several ozone depletion events (ODE's) within the atmospheric boundary layer. The strongest ODEs consisted of air with ozone mixing ratio less than 10 ppbv up to heights varying from 200 m to 600 m, and the increase to the background mixing ratio of about 35-40 ppbv occurred within about 200 m in the overlying air. All of the observed ODEs were connected to the ice surface. Back trajectory calculations indicated that the ODEs only occurred in air that had spent an extended period of time below a height of 500 m above the sea ice. Also, all the ODEs occurred in air with temperature below -25°C. Air not depleted in ozone was found to be associated with warmer air originating from above the surface layer.

Deplete! Deplete! Deplete!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodson, J.

2017-12-01

Deplete is intended to demonstrate by analogy the harmful effect that Green House Gases (GHG's) such as CO2 and H2O vapor are causing to the Ozone Layer. Increasing temperatures from human activities are contributing to the depletion of Ozone.

Dynamical characterization of the 2010/2011 winter Arctic ozone depletion replaced in a climatologic context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiéblemont, R.; Huret, N.; Hauchecorne, A.; Drouin, M.

2011-12-01

The 2010/2011 stratospheric winter has recorded one of the strongest ozone depletion in the Arctic region since observations began. Such phenomenon is currently very difficult to predict as it strongly depends on winter dynamical conditions. The aim of this study is to characterize winter/spring dynamical stratospheric conditions and the ozone depletion yield. We used the AURA-MLS (Microwave Limb Sounder) measurements, the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) Era-Interim meteorological fields and the results of the potential vorticity contour advection model MIMOSA (Modélisation Isentrope du transport Méso-échelle de l'Ozone Stratosphérique par Advection). Dynamical processes associated with the 2010/2011 winter have been investigated and replaced in a climatologic context by comparing this winter to previous similar and different winter/spring seasons over the last 20 years. Preliminary results show that the polar night jet in 2010/2011 was of an extraordinary strength during February-March, as for the same period in 1995/1996 where the ozone depletion was close to 30 %. Using MIMOSA model, we also show that the polar vortex during February-March 2010/2011 was more centred above the pole than the climatologic location. Wave activity and heat fluxes deduced from ECMWF data allow us to evaluate the specific conditions encountered during this 2010/2011 winter and mechanisms which lead to such extreme situation.

Climatic consequences of observed ozone loss in the 1980s: Relevance to the greenhouse problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Molnar, G. I.; Ko, M. K. W.; Zhou, S.; Sze, N. D.

1994-01-01

Recently published findings using satellite and ground-based observations indicate a large winter and summertime decrease in the column abundance of ozone at high and middle latitudes during the last decade. Using a simple ozone depletion profile reflecting the observed decrease in ozone column abundance, Ramaswamy et al. (1992) showed that the negative radiative forcing that results from the ozone decrease between 1979 and 1990 approximately balanced the greenhouse climate forcing due to the chlorofluorocarbons emitted during the same period. Here, we extend the forcing analyses by calculating the equilibrium surface temperature response explicitly, using an updated version of the Atmospheric and Environmental Research two-dimensional radiative-dynamical seasonal model. The calculated steady state responses suggest that the surface cooling due to the ozone depletion in the lower stratosphere offsets about 30% of the surface warming due to greenhouse gases emitted during the same decade. The temperature offset is roughly a factor of 2 larger than the corresponding offset obtained from forcing intercomparisons. This result appears to be related to the climate feedback mechanisms operating in the model troposphere, most notably that associated with atmospheric meridional heat transport. Thus a comprehensive assessment of ozone change effects on the predicted greenhouse warming cannot be accomplished based on forcing evaluations alone. Our results also show that calculations adopting a seasonally and latitudinally dependent ozone depletion profile produce a negative forcing about 50% smaller than that calculated for the depletion profile used by Ramaswamy et al. (1992).

A Two-Timescale Response to Ozone Depletion: Importance of the Background State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seviour, W.; Waugh, D.; Gnanadesikan, A.

2015-12-01

It has been recently suggested that the response of Southern Ocean sea-ice extent to stratospheric ozone depletion is time-dependent; that the ocean surface initially cools due to enhanced northward Ekman drift caused by a poleward shift in the eddy-driven jet, and then warms after some time due to upwelling of warm waters from below the mixed layer. It is therefore possible that ozone depletion could act to favor a short-term increase in sea-ice extent. However, many uncertainties remain in understanding this mechanism, with different models showing widely differing time-scales and magnitudes of the response. Here, we analyze an ensemble of coupled model simulations with a step-function ozone perturbation. The two-timescale response is present with an approximately 30 year initial cooling period. The response is further shown to be highly dependent upon the background ocean temperature and salinity stratification, which is influenced by both natural internal variability and the isopycnal eddy mixing parameterization. It is suggested that the majority of inter-model differences in the Southern Ocean response to ozone depletion is caused by differences in stratification.

Ab Initio Studies of Stratospheric Ozone Depletion Chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Timothy J.; Head-Gordon, Martin; Langhoff, Stephen R. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

An overview of the current understanding of ozone depletion chemistry, particularly with regards the formation of the so-called Antarctic ozone hole, will be presented together with an outline as to how ab initio quantum chemistry can be used to further our understanding of stratospheric chemistry. The ability of modern state-of-the art ab initio quantum chemical techniques to characterize reliably the gas-phase molecular structure, vibrational spectrum, electronic spectrum, and thermal stability of fluorine, chlorine, bromine and nitrogen oxide species will be demonstrated by presentation of some example studies. The ab initio results will be shown to be in excellent agreement with the available experimental data, and where the experimental data are either not known or are inconclusive, the theoretical results are shown to fill in the gaps and to resolve experimental controversies. In addition, ab initio studies in which the electronic spectra and the characterization of excited electronic states of halogen oxide species will also be presented. Again where available, the ab initio results are compared to experimental observations, and are used to aid in the interpretation of experimental studies.

75 FR 56858 - Use of Ozone-Depleting Substances; Removal of Essential-Use Designation (Flunisolide, etc...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-17

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR Part 2 [Docket No. FDA-2006-N-0304] (formerly Docket No. 2006N-0262) RIN 0910-AF93 Use of Ozone-Depleting Substances; Removal... FDA's regulation on the use of ozone- depleting substances (ODSs) in self-pressurized containers to...

Ozone depleting substances: a key forcing of the Brewer-Dobson circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abalos, M.; Polvani, L. M.; Garcia, R. R.; Kinnison, D. E.; Randel, W. J.

2017-12-01

In contrast with monotonically-increasing greenhouse gases (GHG), Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) peak approximately on the year 2000 and decrease thereafter, thanks to the Montreal Protocol. We examine the influence of these anthropogenic emissions on the Brewer-Dobson circulation (BDC) using specifically designed runs of the Community Earth System Model - Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (CESM-WACCM). Consistent with previous works, we find a dominant role of ODSs on the observed BDC acceleration up to 2000 in the SH summer, through dynamical changes induced by the ozone hole. We extend the analyses to quantify the influence of ODSs on the BDC for different regions and seasons, and compare the model results to observational estimates. Finally, we show that ODSs will substantially reduce the GHG-induced BDC acceleration in the future. Specifically, the trends in stratospheric mean age of air will be 4 times smaller in the period 2000-2080 as compared to the period 1965-2000.

European commission research on stratospheric ozone depletion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amanatidis, G. T.; Ott, H.

1995-02-01

The research policy of the European Commission (EC) on the stratospheric ozone depletion, which is implemented through the ENVIRONMENT Programme is described. The strategy of this stratospheric ozone research, which is developed to address the open scientific questions, requires a coordinated and balanced programme which is based on long term measurements, process studies at regional or global scale, laboratory studies, continuous and accurate measurements of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and development of instrumentation. These research activities, whenever necessary, take form of extensive and coordinated experiments (EASOE 1991/92, SESAME 1994-95), while the overall objective is to provide a firm scientific basis for future European Union (EU) policy actions in this area. Finally, priorities which have been identified for future research in the ENVIRONMENT and CLIMATE Programme (1994-1998) are also detailed.

Ozone Sensitivity to Varying Greenhouse Gases and Ozone-Depleting Substances in CCMI-1 Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgenstern, Olaf; Stone, Kane A.; Schofield, Robyn; Akiyoshi, Hideharu; Yamashita, Yousuke; Kinnison, Douglas E.; Garcia, Rolando R.; Sudo, Kengo; Plummer, David A.; Scinocca, John;

Ozone sensitivity to varying greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances in CCMI-1 simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgenstern, Olaf; Stone, Kane A.; Schofield, Robyn; Akiyoshi, Hideharu; Yamashita, Yousuke; Kinnison, Douglas E.; Garcia, Rolando R.; Sudo, Kengo; Plummer, David A.; Scinocca, John; Oman, Luke D.; Manyin, Michael E.; Zeng, Guang; Rozanov, Eugene; Stenke, Andrea; Revell, Laura E.; Pitari, Giovanni; Mancini, Eva; Di Genova, Glauco; Visioni, Daniele; Dhomse, Sandip S.; Chipperfield, Martyn P.

2018-01-01

Ozone fields simulated for the first phase of the Chemistry-Climate Model Initiative (CCMI-1) will be used as forcing data in the 6th Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. Here we assess, using reference and sensitivity simulations produced for CCMI-1, the suitability of CCMI-1 model results for this process, investigating the degree of consistency amongst models regarding their responses to variations in individual forcings. We consider the influences of methane, nitrous oxide, a combination of chlorinated or brominated ozone-depleting substances, and a combination of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. We find varying degrees of consistency in the models' responses in ozone to these individual forcings, including some considerable disagreement. In particular, the response of total-column ozone to these forcings is less consistent across the multi-model ensemble than profile comparisons. We analyse how stratospheric age of air, a commonly used diagnostic of stratospheric transport, responds to the forcings. For this diagnostic we find some salient differences in model behaviour, which may explain some of the findings for ozone. The findings imply that the ozone fields derived from CCMI-1 are subject to considerable uncertainties regarding the impacts of these anthropogenic forcings. We offer some thoughts on how to best approach the problem of generating a consensus ozone database from a multi-model ensemble such as CCMI-1.

UV-B radiation amplification factor determined based on the simultaneous observation of total ozone and global spectral irradiance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ito, T.; Sakoda, Y.; Matsubara, K.; Kajihara, R.; Uekubo, T.; Kobayashi, M.; Shitamichi, M.; Ueno, T.; Ito, M.

1994-01-01

The Japan Meteorological Agency started the spectral observation of solar ultraviolet (UV) irradiance on 1 January 1990 at Tateno, Aerological Observatory in Tsukuba (35 deg N, 140 deg E). The observation has been carried out using the Brewer spectrophotometer for the wavelengths from 290 to 325 nm with a 0.5 nm interval every hour from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset throughout a year. Because of remarkable similarity within observed spectra, an observed spectrum can be expressed by a simple combination of a reference spectrum and two parameters expressing the deformation of the observed spectrum from the reference. By use of the relation between one of the deformation parameters and the total ozone simultaneously observed with the Dobson spectrophotometer, the possible increase of UV irradiance due to ozone depletion is estimated. For damaging UV, the irradiance possibly increases about 19 percent with the ozone depletion of 10 percent at noon throughout the year in the northern midlatitudes. DUV at noon on the summer solstice possibly increases about 5.6 percent with the ozone depletion of 10 m atm-cm for all latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere.

21st Century Trends in the Potential for Ozone Depletion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurwitz, M. M.; Newman, P. A.

2009-05-01

We find robust trends in the area where Antarctic stratospheric temperatures are below the threshold for polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) formation in Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) chemistry-climate model (CCM) simulations of the 21st century. In late winter (September-October-November), cold area trends are consistent with the respective trends in equivalent effective stratospheric chlorine (EESC), i.e. negative cold area trends in 'realistic future' simulations where EESC decreases and the ozone layer recovers. In the early winter (April through June), regardless of EESC scenario, we find an increasing cold area trend in all simulations; multiple linear regression analysis shows that this early winter cooling trend is associated with the predicted increase in greenhouse gas concentrations in the future. We compare the seasonality of the potential for Antarctic ozone depletion in two versions of the GEOS CCM and assess the impact of the above-mentioned cold area trends on polar stratospheric chemistry.

Ozone depletion - Ultraviolet radiation and phytoplankton biology in Antarctic waters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, R. C.; Prezelin, B. B.; Baker, K. S.; Bidigare, R. R.; Boucher, N. P.; Coley, T.; Karentz, D.; Macintyre, S.; Matlick, H. A.; Menzies, D.

1992-01-01

The near-50-percent thinning of the stratospheric ozone layer over the Antarctic, with increased passage of mid-UV radiation to the surface of the Southern Ocean, has prompted concern over possible radiation damage to the near-surface phytoplankton communities that are the bases of Antarctic marine ecosystems. As the ozone layer thinned, a 6-week study of the marginal ice zone of the Bellingshousen Sea in the austral spring of 1990 noted sea-surface and depth-dependent ratios of mid-UV irradiance to total irradiance increased, and mid-UV inhibition of photosynthesis increased. A 6-12 percent reduction in primary production associated with ozone depletion was estimated to have occurred over the course of the present study.

Ozone depletion caused by NO and H2O emissions from hydrazine-fueled rockets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, M. N.; Danilin, M. Y.; Weisenstein, D. K.; Ko, M. K. W.

2004-11-01

Rockets using unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine (N(CH3)2NH2) and dinitrogen tetroxide (N2O4) propellants account for about one third of all stratospheric rocket engine emissions, comparable to the solid-fueled rocket emissions. We use plume and global atmosphere models to provide the first estimate of the local and global ozone depletion caused by NO and H2O emissions from the Proton rocket, the largest hydrazine-fueled launcher in use. NO and H2O emission indices are assumed to be 20 and 350 g/kg (propellant), respectively. Predicted maximum ozone loss in the plume of the Proton rocket is 21% at 44 km altitude. Plume ozone loss at 20 km equals 8% just after launch and steadily declines to 2% by model sunset. Predicted steady state global ozone loss from ten Proton launches annually is 1.2 × 10-4%, with nearly all of the loss due to the NO component of the emission. Normalized by stratospheric propellant consumption, the global ozone depletion efficiency of the Proton is approximately 66-90 times less than that of solid-fueled rockets. In situ Proton plume measurements are required to validate assumed emission indices and to assess the role of rocket emissions not considered in these calculations. Such future studies would help to establish a formalism to evaluate the relative ozone depletion caused by different rocket engines using different propellants.

A search of UARS data for ozone depletions caused by the highly relativistic electron precipitation events of May 1992

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pesnell, W. Dean; Goldberg, Richard A.; Jackman, Charles H.; Chenette, D. L.; Gaines, E. E.

1999-01-01

Highly relativistic electron precipitation (HRE) events containing significant fluxes of electrons with E>1MeV have been predicted by models to deplete mesospheric ozone. For the electron fluxes measured during the great HRE of May 1992, depletions were predicted to occur between altitudes of 55 and 80 km, where HOx reactions cause a local minimum in the ozone number density and mixing ratio. Measurements of the precipitating electron fluxes by the particle environment monitor (PEM) tend to underestimate their intensity; thus the predictions of ozone depletion should be considered an estimate of a lower limit. Since the horizontal distribution of the electron precipitation follows the terrestrial magnetic field, it would show a distinct boundary equatorward of the L=3 magnetic shell and be readily distinguished from material that was not affected by the HRE precipitation. To search for possible ozone depletion effects, we have analyzed data from the cryogenic limb array etalon spectrometer and microwave limb sounder instruments on UARS for the above HRE. A simplified diurnal model is proposed to understand the ozone data from UARS, also illustrating the limitations of the UARS instruments for seeing the ozone depletions caused by the HRE events. This diurnal analysis limits the relative ozone depletion at around 60 km altitude to values of <10% during the very intense May 1992 event, consistent with our prediction using an improved Goddard Space Flight Center two-dimensional model.

Children's Use of Metaphors in Relation To Their Mental Models: The Case of the Ozone Layer and Its Depletion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christidou, Vasilia; Koulaidis, Vasilis; Christidis, Theodor

1997-01-01

Examines the relationship between children's use of metaphors and their mental models concerning the ozone layer and ozone layer depletion. Results indicate that the way children represent the role and depletion of ozone is strongly correlated with the types of metaphors they use while constructing and/or articulating their models. Also discusses…

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF OZONE DEPLETION AND ITS INTERACTIONS WITH CLIMATE CHANGE: PROGRESS REPORT 2003

EPA Science Inventory

The measures needed for the protection of the Earth's ozone layer are decided regularly by the Parties to the Montreal Protocol. A section of this progress report focuses on the interactive effects of climate change and ozone depletion on biogeochemical cycles.

The Effect of Climate Change on Ozone Depletion through Changes in Stratospheric Water Vapour

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirk-Davidoff, Daniel B.; Hintsa, Eric J.; Anderson, James G.; Keith, David W.

1999-01-01

Several studies have predicted substantial increases in Arctic ozone depletion due to the stratospheric cooling induced by increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations. But climate change may additionally influence Arctic ozone depletion through changes in the water vapor cycle. Here we investigate this possibility by combining predictions of tropical tropopause temperatures from a general circulation model with results from a one-dimensional radiative convective model, recent progress in understanding the stratospheric water vapor budget, modelling of heterogeneous reaction rates and the results of a general circulation model on the radiative effect of increased water vapor. Whereas most of the stratosphere will cool as greenhouse-gas concentrations increase, the tropical tropopause may become warmer, resulting in an increase of the mean saturation mixing ratio of water vapor and hence an increased transport of water vapor from the troposphere to the stratosphere. Stratospheric water vapor concentration in the polar regions determines both the critical temperature below which heterogeneous reactions on cold aerosols become important (the mechanism driving enhanced ozone depletion) and the temperature of the Arctic vortex itself. Our results indicate that ozone loss in the later winter and spring Arctic vortex depends critically on water vapor variations which are forced by sea surface temperature changes in the tropics. This potentially important effect has not been taken into account in previous scenarios of Arctic ozone loss under climate change conditions.

GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH NEWS #7: ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF OZONE DEPLETION

EPA Science Inventory

This edition focuses on a recent UNEP report entitled, "Environmental Effects of Ozone Depletion: 1998 Assessment." Dr. Richard Zepp (ORD/NERL) is one of the Lead Authors of this report. The 1998 assessment focuses on new information produced since 1994. It also includes earlie...

Human Health Effects of Ozone Depletion From Stratospheric Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wey, Chowen (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This report presents EPA's initial response to NASA's request to advise on potential environmental policy issues associated with the future development of supersonic flight technologies. Consistent with the scope of the study to which NASA and EPA agreed, EPA has evaluated only the environmental concerns related to the stratospheric ozone impacts of a hypothetical HSCT fleet, although recent research indicates that a fleet of HSCT is predicted to contribute to climate warming as well. This report also briefly describes the international and domestic institutional frameworks established to address stratospheric ozone depletion, as well as those established to control pollution from aircraft engine exhaust emissions.

Children's and Adults' Knowledge and Models of Reasoning about the Ozone Layer and Its Depletion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leighton, Jacqueline P.; Bisanz, Gay L.

2003-01-01

Examines children's and adults' knowledge of the ozone layer and its depletion, whether this knowledge increases with age, and how the ozone layer and ozone hole might be structured as scientific concepts. Uses a standardized set of questions to interview children and adults in Canada. Discusses implications of the results for health…

A new approach to Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portmann, R. W.; Daniel, J. S.; Yu, P.

2017-12-01

The Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) is given by the time integrated global ozone loss of an ozone depleting substance (ODS) relative to a reference ODS (usually CFC-11). The ODP is used by the Montreal Protocol (and subsequent amendments) to inform policy decisions on the production of ODSs. Since the early 1990s, ODPs have usually been estimated using an approximate formulism that utilizes the lifetime and the fractional release factor of the ODS. This has the advantage that it can utilize measured concentrations of the ODSs to estimate their fractional release factors. However, there is a strong correlation between stratospheric lifetimes and fractional release factors of ODSs and that this can introduce uncertainties into ODP calculations when the terms are estimated independently. Instead, we show that the ODP is proportional to the average global ozone loss per equivalent chlorine molecule released in the stratosphere by the ODS loss process (which we call the Γ factor) and, importantly, this ratio varies only over a relatively small range ( 0.3-1.5) for ODPs with stratospheric lifetimes of 20 to more than 1,000 years. The Γ factor varies smoothly with stratospheric lifetime for ODSs with loss processes dominated by photolysis and is larger for long-lived species, while stratospheric OH loss processes produce relatively small Γs that are nearly independent of stratospheric lifetime. The fractional release approach does not accurately capture these relationships. We propose a new formulation that takes advantage of this smooth variation by parameterizing the Γ factor using ozone changes computed using the chemical climate model CESM-WACCM and the NOCAR two-dimensional model. We show that while the absolute Γ's vary between WACCM and NOCAR models, much of the difference is removed for the Γ/ΓCFC-11 ratio that is used in the ODP formula. This parameterized method simplifies the computation of ODPs while providing enhanced accuracy compared to the

Effects of Greenhouse Gas Increase and Stratospheric Ozone Depletion on Stratospheric Mean Age of Air in 1960-2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, F.; Newman, P. A.; Pawson, S.; Perlwitz, J.

2017-12-01

The strength of the stratospheric Brewer-Dobson circulation (BDC) in a changing climate has been extensively studied, but the relative importance of greenhouse gas (GHG) increases and stratospheric ozone depletion in driving the BDC changes remains uncertain. This study separates the impacts of GHG and stratospheric ozone forcings on stratospheric mean age of air in the 1960-2010 period using the Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS) Chemistry-Climate Model (CCM). The experiment compares a set of controlled simulations using a coupled atmosphere-ocean version of the GEOS CCM, in which either GHGs, or stratospheric ozone, or both factors evolve over time. The model results show that GHGs and stratospheric ozone have about equal contributions to the simulated mean age decrease. It is also found that GHG increases account for about two thirds of the enhanced strength of the lower stratospheric residual circulation. The results show that ozone depletion causes an increase in the mean age of air in the Antarctic summer lower stratosphere through two processes: 1) a seasonal delay in the Antarctic polar vortex breakup, that inhibits young mid-latitude air from mixing with the older air inside the vortex; and 2) enhanced Antarctic downwelling, that brings older air from middle and upper stratosphere into the lower stratosphere.

Environmental effects of ozone depletion and its interactions with climate change: progress report, 2008.

PubMed

Andrady, Anthony; Aucamp, Pieter J; Bais, Alkiviadis; Ballaré, Carlos L; Björn, Lars Olof; Bornman, Janet F; Caldwell, Martyn; Cullen, Anthony P; Erickson, David J; de Gruijl, Frank R; Häder, Donat-P; Ilyas, Mohammad; Kulandaivelu, G; Kumar, H D; Longstreth, Janice; McKenzie, Richard L; Norval, Mary; Paul, Nigel; Redhwi, Halim Hamid; Smith, Raymond C; Solomon, Keith R; Sulzberger, Barbara; Takizawa, Yukio; Tang, Xiaoyan; Teramura, Alan H; Torikai, Ayako; van der Leun, Jan C; Wilson, Stephen R; Worrest, Robert C; Zepp, Richard G

2009-01-01

After the enthusiastic celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 2007, the work for the protection of the ozone layer continues. The Environmental Effects Assessment Panel is one of the three expert panels within the Montreal Protocol. This EEAP deals with the increase of the UV irradiance on the Earth's surface and its effects on human health, animals, plants, biogeochemistry, air quality and materials. For the past few years, interactions of ozone depletion with climate change have also been considered. It has become clear that the environmental problems will be long-lasting. In spite of the fact that the worldwide production of ozone depleting chemicals has already been reduced by 95%, the environmental disturbances are expected to persist for about the next half a century, even if the protective work is actively continued, and completed. The latest full report was published in Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2007, 6, 201-332, and the last progress report in Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2008, 7, 15-27. The next full report on environmental effects is scheduled for the year 2010. The present progress report 2008 is one of the short interim reports, appearing annually.

Unequivocal detection of ozone recovery in the Antarctic Ozone Hole through significant increases in atmospheric layers with minimum ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Laat, Jos; van Weele, Michiel; van der A, Ronald

2015-04-01

An important new landmark in present day ozone research is presented through MLS satellite observations of significant ozone increases during the ozone hole season that are attributed unequivocally to declining ozone depleting substances. For many decades the Antarctic ozone hole has been the prime example of both the detrimental effects of human activities on our environment as well as how to construct effective and successful environmental policies. Nowadays atmospheric concentrations of ozone depleting substances are on the decline and first signs of recovery of stratospheric ozone and ozone in the Antarctic ozone hole have been observed. The claimed detection of significant recovery, however, is still subject of debate. In this talk we will discuss first current uncertainties in the assessment of ozone recovery in the Antarctic ozone hole by using multi-variate regression methods, and, secondly present an alternative approach to identify ozone hole recovery unequivocally. Even though multi-variate regression methods help to reduce uncertainties in estimates of ozone recovery, great care has to be taken in their application due to the existence of uncertainties and degrees of freedom in the choice of independent variables. We show that taking all uncertainties into account in the regressions the formal recovery of ozone in the Antarctic ozone hole cannot be established yet, though is likely before the end of the decade (before 2020). Rather than focusing on time and area averages of total ozone columns or ozone profiles, we argue that the time evolution of the probability distribution of vertically resolved ozone in the Antarctic ozone hole contains a better fingerprint for the detection of ozone recovery in the Antarctic ozone hole. The advantages of this method over more tradition methods of trend analyses based on spatio-temporal average ozone are discussed. The 10-year record of MLS satellite measurements of ozone in the Antarctic ozone hole shows a

Terrestrial ozone depletion due to a Milky Way gamma-ray burst

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Brian C.

Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) are short, incredibly powerful astrophysical events which produce a flux of radiation detectable across the observable universe. A GRB within our own galaxy could cause major damage to the Earth's biosphere. Rate estimates suggest that at least one GRB has occurred within a dangerous range (about 2 kpc) in the last billion years. The gamma radiation from such a burst would quickly deplete much of the Earth's protective ozone layer, allowing an increase in solar UVB radiation reaching the surface. This radiation is harmful to life, causing sunburn and damaging DNA. In addition, NO 2 produced in the atmosphere would cause a decrease in visible sunlight reaching the surface and could cause global cooling. Nitric acid rain could stress portions of the biosphere, but the increased nitrate deposition could be helpful to land plants. We have used a two-dimensional atmospheric model to investigate the effects on the Earth's atmosphere of a GRB. We have simulated bursts delivering a range of fluences, at various latitudes, at the equinoxes and solstices, and at different times of day. We have computed DNA damage caused by increased solar UVB radiation, reduction in solar visible light due to NO 2 opacity; and deposition of nitrates through rainout of HNO 3 . For a "typical" burst in the last billion years, we find globally averaged ozone depletion up to 38%. Localized depletion reaches as much as 74%. Significant global depletion (at least 10%) persists up to about 7 years after the burst. Our results depend strongly on time of year and latitude over which the burst occurs. We find DNA damage of up to 16 times the normal annual global average, with greatest damage occurring at low to mid latitudes. We find reductions in visible sunlight of a few percent, primarily in the polar regions. Nitrate deposition similar to or slightly greater than that currently caused by lightning is also observed. We find support in our results for the hypothesis that the

The influence of climate change and the timing of stratospheric warmings on Arctic ozone depletion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, John; Butchart, Neal

1994-01-01

Satellite data are presented showing the timing of sudden warmings in the lower stratosphere during the winters 1979-1992. A three-dimensional dynamical-radiative-photochemical model is used to establish how Arctic ozone depletion will respond to a doubling of CO2 according to the timing of the warmings. In a series of idealized experiments the timing of the warmings is varied by specifying different geopotential wave amplitudes at the 316-mbar model lower boundary. Results from a "transient climate change experiment" show that the chosen wave amplitudes are appropriate for both the current and the doubled CO2 atmosphere. For doubled CO2 the experiments show that any significant risk of an Arctic ozone hole will be confined to those years with only a late stratospheric warming. In all other years the results suggest that springtime total ozone over the Arctic is more likely to increase by a small amount due to a combination of slower homogeneous chemistry and changes in transport. The predictions obtained from the idealized studies are then tested by prescribing at the model lower boundary the observed geopotential wave amplitudes from two specific years with late winter warmings. Doubling CO2 amounts produced no significant increase in ozone depletion with the 1989 wave amplitudes, but with 1990 wave amplitudes, an Arctic ozone hole occurred with minimum column of 187 Dobson Units. This contrasting response is attributed to the large midwinter pulse in the 1989 wave amplitudes compared to the less dramatic and shorter timescale fluctuations in the 1990 wave amplitudes. It is concluded that under doubled CO2 conditions an Arctic ozone hole is likely to occur in years with late stratospheric warmings following winters in which there were no significant pulses in the upper tropospheric planetary wave amplitudes.

Persistent polar depletion of stratospheric ozone and emergent mechanisms of ultraviolet radiation-mediated health dysregulation.

PubMed

Dugo, Mark A; Han, Fengxiang; Tchounwou, Paul B

2012-01-01

Year 2011 noted the first definable ozone "hole" in the Arctic region, serving as an indicator to the continued threat of dangerous ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure caused by the deterioration of stratospheric ozone in the northern hemisphere. Despite mandates of the Montreal Protocol to phase out the production of ozone-depleting chemicals (ODCs), the relative stability of ODCs validates popular notions of persistent stratospheric ozone for several decades. Moreover, increased UVR exposure through stratospheric ozone depletion is occurring within a larger context of physiologic stress and climate change across the biosphere. In this review, we provide commentaries on stratospheric ozone depletion with relative comparisons between the well-known Antarctic ozone hole and the newly defined ozone hole in the Arctic. Compared with the Antarctic region, the increased UVR exposure in the Northern Hemisphere poses a threat to denser human populations across North America, Europe, and Asia. In this context, we discuss emerging targets of UVR exposure that can potentially offset normal biologic rhythms in terms of taxonomically conserved photoperiod-dependent seasonal signaling and entrainment of circadian clocks. Consequences of seasonal shifts during critical life history stages can alter fitness and condition, whereas circadian disruption is increasingly becoming associated as a causal link to increased carcinogenesis. We further review the significance of genomic alterations via UVR-induced modulations of phase I and II transcription factors located in skin cells, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), and the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2), with emphasis on mechanism that can lead to metabolic shifts and cancer. Although concern for adverse health consequences due to increased UVR exposure are longstanding, recent advances in biochemical research suggest that AhR and Nrf2 transcriptional regulators are likely targets for UVR

Persistent Polar Depletion of Stratospheric Ozone and Emergent Mechanisms of Ultraviolet Radiation-Mediated Health Dysregulation

PubMed Central

Dugo, Mark A.; Han, Fengxiang

2013-01-01

Year 2011 noted the first definable ozone “hole” in the Arctic region, serving as an indicator to the continued threat of dangerous ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure caused by the deterioration of stratospheric ozone in the northern hemisphere. Despite mandates of the Montreal Protocol to phase out the production of ozone depleting chemicals (ODCs), the relative stability of ODCs validates popular notions of persistent stratospheric ozone for several decades. Moreover, increased UVR exposure through stratospheric ozone depletion is occurring within a larger context of physiological stress and climate change across the biosphere. In this review, we provide commentaries on stratospheric ozone depletion with relative comparisons between the well-known Antarctic ozone hole and the newly defined ozone hole in the Arctic. Compared to the Antarctic region, increased UVR exposure in the Northern Hemisphere poses a threat to denser human populations across North America, Europe and Asia. In this context, we discuss emerging targets of UVR exposure that can potentially offset normal biological rhythms in terms of taxonomically conserved photoperiod dependent seasonal signaling and entrainment of circadian clocks. Consequences of seasonal shifts during critical life history stages can alter the fitness and condition, while circadian disruption is increasingly becoming associated as a causal link to increased carcinogenesis. We further review the significance of genomic alterations via UVR induced modulations of phase I and phase II transcription factors, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and the Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), with emphasis on mechanism that can lead to metabolic shifts and cancer. While concern for adverse health consequences due to increased UVR exposure are longstanding, recent advances in biochemical research suggest that AhR and Nrf2 transcriptional regulators are likely targets for UVR mediated dysregulations of rhymicity

Response of Antarctic sea surface temperature and sea ice to ozone depletion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, D.; Gnanadesikan, A.; Kostov, Y.; Marshall, J.; Seviour, W.; Waugh, D.

2017-12-01

The influence of the Antarctic ozone hole extends all the way from the stratosphere through the troposphere down to the surface, with clear signatures on surface winds, and SST during summer. In this talk we discuss the impact of these changes on the ocean circulation and sea ice state. We are notably motivated by the observed cooling of the surface Southern Ocean and associated increase in Antarctic sea ice extent since the 1970s. These trends are not reproduced by CMIP5 climate models, and the underlying mechanism at work in nature and the models remain unexplained. Did the ozone hole contribute to the observed trends?Here, we review recent advances toward answering these issues using "abrupt ozone depletion" experiments. The ocean and sea ice response is rather complex, comprising two timescales: a fast ( 1-2y) cooling of the surface ocean and sea ice cover increase, followed by a slower warming trend, which, depending on models, flip the sign of the SST and sea ice responses on decadal timescale. Although the basic mechanism seems robust, comparison across climate models reveal large uncertainties in the timescales and amplitude of the response to the extent that even the sign of the ocean and sea ice response to ozone hole and recovery remains unconstrained. After briefly describing the dynamics and thermodynamics behind the two-timescale response, we will discuss the main sources of uncertainties in the modeled response, namely cloud effects and air-sea heat exchanges, surface wind stress response and ocean eddy transports. Finally, we will consider the implications of our results on the ability of coupled climate models to reproduce observed Southern Ocean changes.

Evidence for midwinter chemical ozone destruction over Antartica

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Voemel, H.; Hoffmann, D.J.; Oltmans, S.J.

1995-09-01

Two ozone profiles on June 15 and June 19, obtained over McMurdo, Antartica, showed a strong depletion in stratospheric ozone, and a simultaneous profile of water vapor on June 19 showed the first clear signs of dehydration. The observation of Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs) beginning with the first sounding showing ozone depletion, the indication of rehydration layers, which could be a sign for recent dehydration, and trajectory calculations indicate that the observed low ozone was not the result of transport from lower latitudes. during this time the vortex was strongly distorted, transporting PSC processed air well into sunlit latitudes wheremore » photochemical ozone destruction may have occurred. The correlation of ozone depletion and dehydration indicates that water ice PSCs provided the dominant surface for chlorine activation. An analysis of the time when the observed air masses could have formed type II PSCs for the first time limits the time scale for the observed ozone destruction to about 4 days.« less

TOPICAL REVIEW: Climate change, ozone depletion and the impact on ultraviolet exposure of human skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diffey, Brian

2004-01-01

For 30 years there has been concern that anthropogenic damage to the Earth's stratospheric ozone layer will lead to an increase of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaching the Earth's surface, with a consequent adverse impact on human health, especially to the skin. More recently, there has been an increased awareness of the interactions between ozone depletion and climate change (global warming), which could also impact on human exposure to terrestrial UV. The most serious effect of changing UV exposure of human skin is the potential rise in incidence of skin cancers. Risk estimates of this disease associated with ozone depletion suggest that an additional peak incidence of 5000 cases of skin cancer per year in the UK would occur around the mid-part of this century. Climate change, which is predicted to lead to an increased frequency of extreme temperature events and high summer temperatures, will become more frequent in the UK. This could impact on human UV exposure by encouraging people to spend more time in the sun. Whilst future social trends remain uncertain, it is likely that over this century behaviour associated with climate change, rather than ozone depletion, will be the largest determinant of sun exposure, and consequent impact on skin cancer, of the UK population.

INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF OZONE DEPLETION AND CLIMATE CHANGE ON BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES

EPA Science Inventory

The effects of ozone depletion on global biogeochemical cycles, via increased UV-B radiation at the Earth's surface, have continued to be documented over the past 4 years. In this report we also document various effects of UV-B that interact with global climate change because the...

Ozone treatment and the depletion of detectable pharmaceuticals and atrazine herbicide in drinking water sourced from the upper Detroit River, Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Hua, Wenyi; Bennett, Erin R; Letcher, Robert J

2006-07-01

The depletion and degradation of pharmacologically active compounds (PhACs) and pesticides as a function of ozonation in drinking water treatment processes is not well studied. The A.H. Weeks drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) serves the City of Windsor, Ontario Canada, and incorporates ozone treatment into the production of drinking water. This DWTP also operates a real-time, scaled down pilot plant, which has two parallel streams, conventional and ozone plus conventional treatments. In this study water samples were collected from key points in the two streams of the pilot plant system to determine the depletion and influence of seasonal changes in water processing parameters on eighteen major PhACs (and metabolites) and seven s-triazines herbicides. However, only carbamazepine (antiepileptic), caffeine (stimulant), cotinine (metabolite of nicotine) and atrazine were consistently detectable in the raw water intake (low to sub-ng/L level). Regardless of the seasonality, the flocculation-coagulation and dual media filtration steps without ozone treatment resulted in no decrease in analyte concentrations, while decreases of 66-100% (undetectable, method detection limits 0.05-1 ng/L) of the analyte concentrations were observed when ozone treatment was part of the water processing. These findings demonstrate that ozone treatment is highly effective in depleting carbamazepine, caffeine, cotinine, and atrazine, and thus is highly influential in the fate of these compounds in drinking water treatment regardless of the seasonal time frame. Currently very few Canadian DWTPs incorporate ozonation into conventional treatment, which suggests that human exposure to these compounds via drinking water consumption may be an issue in affected communities.

Toward Describing the Effects of Ozone Depletion on Marine Primary Productivity and Carbon Cycling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cullen, John J.

1995-01-01

This project was aimed at improved predictions of the effects of UVB and ozone depletion on marine primary productivity and carbon flux. A principal objective was to incorporate a new analytical description of photosynthesis as a function of UV and photosynthetically available radiation (Cullen et. al., Science 258:646) into a general oceanographic model. We made significant progress: new insights into the kinetics of photoinhibition were used in the analysis of experiments on Antarctic phytoplankton to generate a general model of UV-induced photoinhibition under the influence of ozone depletion and vertical mixing. The way has been paved for general models on a global scale.

A Two-Timescale Response of the Southern Ocean to Ozone Depletion: Importance of the Background State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seviour, W.; Waugh, D.; Gnanadesikan, A.

2016-02-01

It has been recently suggested that the response of Southern Ocean sea-ice extent to stratospheric ozone depletion is time-dependent; that the ocean surface initially cools due to enhanced northward Ekman drift caused by a poleward shift in the eddy-driven jet, and then warms after some time due to upwelling of warm waters from below the mixed layer. It is therefore possible that ozone depletion could act to favor a short-term increase in sea-ice extent. However, many uncertainties remain in understanding this mechanism, with different models showing widely differing time-scales and magnitudes of the response. Here, we analyze an ensemble of coupled model simulations with a step-function ozone perturbation. The two-timescale response is present with an approximately 30 year initial cooling period. The response is further shown to be highly dependent upon the background ocean temperature and salinity stratification, which is influenced by both natural internal variability and the isopycnal eddy mixing parameterization. It is suggested that the majority of inter-model differences in the Southern Ocean response to ozone depletion are caused by differences in stratification.

Ozone depletion and solar ultraviolet radiation: ocular effects, a United nations environment programme perspective.

PubMed

Cullen, Anthony P

2011-07-01

To describe he role played by the United Nations Environmental Effects Panel with respect to the ocular effects of stratospheric ozone depletion and present the essence of the Health Chapter of the 2010 Assessment. A consideration of solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) at the Earth's surface as it is affected by atmospheric changes and how these influence sunlight-related eye diseases. A review of the current Assessment with emphasis on pterygium, cataract, ocular melanoma, and age-related macular degeneration. Although the ozone layer is projected to recover slowly in the coming decades, continuing vigilance is required regarding exposure to the sun. Evidence implicating solar UVR, especially UVB, in every tissue of the eye continues to be amassed. The need for ocular UV protection existed before the discovery of the depletion of the ozone layer and will continue even when the layer fully recovers in approximately 2100.

40 CFR Appendix H to Subpart A of... - Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances H Appendix H to Subpart A of Part 82... STRATOSPHERIC OZONE Production and Consumption Controls Pt. 82, Subpt. A, App. H Appendix H to Subpart A of Part 82—Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances...

40 CFR Appendix H to Subpart A of... - Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances H Appendix H to Subpart A of Part 82... STRATOSPHERIC OZONE Production and Consumption Controls Pt. 82, Subpt. A, App. H Appendix H to Subpart A of Part 82—Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances...

40 CFR Appendix H to Subpart A of... - Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances H Appendix H to Subpart A of Part 82... STRATOSPHERIC OZONE Production and Consumption Controls Pt. 82, Subpt. A, App. H Appendix H to Subpart A of Part 82—Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances...

40 CFR Appendix H to Subpart A of... - Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances H Appendix H to Subpart A of Part 82... STRATOSPHERIC OZONE Production and Consumption Controls Pt. 82, Subpt. A, App. H Appendix H to Subpart A of Part 82—Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances...

Nitrous Oxide: A Greenhouse Gas That is Also an Ozone Layer Depleting Gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reed, S.; Uriarte, M.; Wood, T. E.; Cavaleri, M. A.; Lugo, A. E.

2014-12-01

Nitrous oxide, N2O, is the major source of nitrogen oxides in the stratosphere, where these oxides playa critical roles in ozone layer depletion by itself and moderating ozone layer depletion by chlorinated chemicals. Thus N2O plays a complex role in the stratosphere. Nitrous oxide is also a greenhouse gas and it contributes to the radiative forcing of climate. Indeed, it is considered the third most important greenhouse gas next to carbon dioxide and methane. This dual role of nitrous oxide makes it an interesting gas for the atmosphere- it bridges the issue of ozone layer depletion and climate change. Nitrous oxide has both natural and anthropogenic sources. Therefore, one needs to consider this important distinction between natural and anthropogenic sources as well as its role in two related but separate environmental issues. Further, the sources of nitrous oxide are varied and diffuse, which makes it difficult to quantify different sources. However, it is clear that a majority of anthropogenic nitrous oxide comes from food production (including agricultural and animal growth practices), an activity that is at the heart of human existence. Thus, limiting N2O emissions is not a simple task! I will briefly summarize our understanding of these roles of nitrous oxide in the earth's atmosphere and touch on the possible ways to limit N2O emissions.

Nitrous Oxide: A Greenhouse Gas That is Also an Ozone Layer Depleting Gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravishankara, A. R.

2015-12-01

Nitrous oxide, N2O, is the major source of nitrogen oxides in the stratosphere, where these oxides playa critical roles in ozone layer depletion by itself and moderating ozone layer depletion by chlorinated chemicals. Thus N2O plays a complex role in the stratosphere. Nitrous oxide is also a greenhouse gas and it contributes to the radiative forcing of climate. Indeed, it is considered the third most important greenhouse gas next to carbon dioxide and methane. This dual role of nitrous oxide makes it an interesting gas for the atmosphere- it bridges the issue of ozone layer depletion and climate change. Nitrous oxide has both natural and anthropogenic sources. Therefore, one needs to consider this important distinction between natural and anthropogenic sources as well as its role in two related but separate environmental issues. Further, the sources of nitrous oxide are varied and diffuse, which makes it difficult to quantify different sources. However, it is clear that a majority of anthropogenic nitrous oxide comes from food production (including agricultural and animal growth practices), an activity that is at the heart of human existence. Thus, limiting N2O emissions is not a simple task! I will briefly summarize our understanding of these roles of nitrous oxide in the earth's atmosphere and touch on the possible ways to limit N2O emissions.

Model predictions of latitude-dependent ozone depletion due to aerospace vehicle operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borucki, W. J.; Whitten, R. C.; Watson, V. R.; Riegel, C. A.; Maples, A. L.; Capone, L. A.

1976-01-01

Results are presented from a two-dimensional model of the stratosphere that simulates the seasonal movement of ozone by both wind and eddy transport, and contains all the chemistry known to be important. The calculated reductions in ozone due to NO2 injection from a fleet of supersonic transports are compared with the zonally averaged results of a three-dimensional model for a similar episode of injection. The agreement is good in the northern hemisphere, but is not as good in the southern hemisphere. Both sets of calculations show a strong corridor effect in that the predicted ozone depletions are largest to the north of the flight corridor for aircraft operating in the northern hemisphere.

Solar ultraviolet radiation and ozone depletion-driven climate change: effects on terrestrial ecosystems.

PubMed

Bornman, J F; Barnes, P W; Robinson, S A; Ballaré, C L; Flint, S D; Caldwell, M M

2015-01-01

In this assessment we summarise advances in our knowledge of how UV-B radiation (280-315 nm), together with other climate change factors, influence terrestrial organisms and ecosystems. We identify key uncertainties and knowledge gaps that limit our ability to fully evaluate the interactive effects of ozone depletion and climate change on these systems. We also evaluate the biological consequences of the way in which stratospheric ozone depletion has contributed to climate change in the Southern Hemisphere. Since the last assessment, several new findings or insights have emerged or been strengthened. These include: (1) the increasing recognition that UV-B radiation has specific regulatory roles in plant growth and development that in turn can have beneficial consequences for plant productivity via effects on plant hardiness, enhanced plant resistance to herbivores and pathogens, and improved quality of agricultural products with subsequent implications for food security; (2) UV-B radiation together with UV-A (315-400 nm) and visible (400-700 nm) radiation are significant drivers of decomposition of plant litter in globally important arid and semi-arid ecosystems, such as grasslands and deserts. This occurs through the process of photodegradation, which has implications for nutrient cycling and carbon storage, although considerable uncertainty exists in quantifying its regional and global biogeochemical significance; (3) UV radiation can contribute to climate change via its stimulation of volatile organic compounds from plants, plant litter and soils, although the magnitude, rates and spatial patterns of these emissions remain highly uncertain at present. UV-induced release of carbon from plant litter and soils may also contribute to global warming; and (4) depletion of ozone in the Southern Hemisphere modifies climate directly via effects on seasonal weather patterns (precipitation and wind) and these in turn have been linked to changes in the growth of plants

Are chlorine-free compounds a solution for health problems caused by ozone-depleting substances?

PubMed

Valić, F; Beritić-Stahuljak, D

1996-01-01

In January 1996, the Government of Croatia and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) signed an agreement on the phasing out of ozone-depleting substances in Croatia, making the problem of identifying adequate substitutes a high priority. In this paper, the main ecologic characteristics of chlorine-containing fully halogenated chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and partially halogenated chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) compared with chlorine-free hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are presented. The data showed HCFCs to be ecologically more acceptable than CFCs, particularly regarding the ozone-depleting potential (ODP), and have therefore been proposed as substitutes for CFCs. However, although having lower ODP, long-term they could still harm the stratospheric ozone layer, and are therefore hardly acceptable. HFCs are promising substitutes which, having no chlorine, have no ODP. Six were toxicologically evaluated; three of them were found flammable. Toxicological characteristics of three nonflammable compounds (HFC 125, HFC 134a and HFC 227ea) are presented. Their toxicity, not yet completely evaluated, appears to be low.

Radiative forcing perturbation due to observed increases in tropospheric ozone at Hohenpeissenberg

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Wei-Chyung; Bojkov, Rumen D.; Zhuang, Yi-Cheng

1994-01-01

The effect on surface temperature due to changes in atmospheric O3 depends highly on the latitude where the change occurs. Previous sensitivity calculations indicate that ozone changes in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere are more effective in causing surface temperature change (Wang et al., 1980). Long term ground-based observations show that tropospheric ozone, especially at the tropopause region, has been increasing at middle and high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere (NATO, 1988; Quadrennial Ozone Symposium, 1992). These increases will enhance the greenhouse effect and increase the radiative forcing to the troposphere-surface system, which is opposite to the negative radiative forcing calculated from the observed stratospheric ozone depletion recently reported in WMO (1992). We used more than two thousands regularly measured ozonesondes providing reliable vertical O3 distribution at Hohenpeissenberg (47N; 11E) for the 1967-1990 to study the instantaneous solar and longwave radiative forcing the two decades 1971-1990 and compare the forcing with those caused by increasing CO2, CH4, N2O, and CFCs. Calculations are also made to compare the O3 radiative forcing between stratospheric depletion and tropospheric increase. Results indicate that the O3 changes will induce a positive radiative forcing dominated by tropospheric O3 increase and the magnitude of the forcing is comparable to that due to CO2 increases during the two decades. The significant implications of the tropospheric O3 increase to the global climate are discussed.

2009 Antarctic Ozone Hole

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-09-16

The annual ozone hole has started developing over the South Pole, and it appears that it will be comparable to ozone depletions over the past decade. This composite image from September 10 depicts ozone concentrations in Dobson units, with purple and blues depicting severe deficits of ozone. "We have observed the ozone hole again in 2009, and it appears to be pretty average so far," said ozone researcher Paul Newman of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "However, we won't know for another four weeks how this year's ozone hole will fully develop." Scientists are tracking the size and depth of the ozone hole with observations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA's Aura spacecraft, the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment on the European Space Agency's ERS-2 spacecraft, and the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet instrument on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's NOAA-16 satellite. The depth and area of the ozone hole are governed by the amount of chlorine and bromine in the Antarctic stratosphere. Over the southern winter, polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) form in the extreme cold of the atmosphere, and chlorine gases react on the cloud particles to release chlorine into a form that can easily destroy ozone. When the sun rises in August after months of seasonal polar darkness, the sunlight heats the clouds and catalyzes the chemical reactions that deplete the ozone layer. The ozone hole begins to grow in August and reaches its largest area in late September to early October. Recent observations and several studies have shown that the size of the annual ozone hole has stabilized and the level of ozone-depleting substances has decreased by 4 percent since 2001. But since chlorine and bromine compounds have long lifetimes in the atmosphere, a recovery of atmospheric ozone is not likely to be noticeable until 2020 or later. Visit NASA's Ozone Watch page for current imagery and data: ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.html

Tropospheric jet response to Antarctic ozone depletion: An update with Chemistry-Climate Model Initiative (CCMI) models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Son, Seok-Woo; Han, Bo-Reum; Garfinkel, Chaim I.; Kim, Seo-Yeon; Park, Rokjin; Abraham, N. Luke; Akiyoshi, Hideharu; Archibald, Alexander T.; Butchart, N.; Chipperfield, Martyn P.; Dameris, Martin; Deushi, Makoto; Dhomse, Sandip S.; Hardiman, Steven C.; Jöckel, Patrick; Kinnison, Douglas; Michou, Martine; Morgenstern, Olaf; O’Connor, Fiona M.; Oman, Luke D.; Plummer, David A.; Pozzer, Andrea; Revell, Laura E.; Rozanov, Eugene; Stenke, Andrea; Stone, Kane; Tilmes, Simone; Yamashita, Yousuke; Zeng, Guang

2018-05-01

The Southern Hemisphere (SH) zonal-mean circulation change in response to Antarctic ozone depletion is re-visited by examining a set of the latest model simulations archived for the Chemistry-Climate Model Initiative (CCMI) project. All models reasonably well reproduce Antarctic ozone depletion in the late 20th century. The related SH-summer circulation changes, such as a poleward intensification of westerly jet and a poleward expansion of the Hadley cell, are also well captured. All experiments exhibit quantitatively the same multi-model mean trend, irrespective of whether the ocean is coupled or prescribed. Results are also quantitatively similar to those derived from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) high-top model simulations in which the stratospheric ozone is mostly prescribed with monthly- and zonally-averaged values. These results suggest that the ozone-hole-induced SH-summer circulation changes are robust across the models irrespective of the specific chemistry-atmosphere-ocean coupling.

Mid-latitude Ozone Depletion Events Caused by Halogens from the Great Salt Lake in Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fibiger, D. L.; Goldberger, L.; Womack, C.; McDuffie, E. E.; Dube, W. P.; Franchin, A.; Middlebrook, A. M.; Thornton, J. A.; Brown, S. S.

2017-12-01

Halogens are highly reactive chemicals and play an important role in atmospheric chemistry. They can be involved in many cycles which influence the oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere, including through destruction of ozone (O3). While the influence of halogens on O3 is well documented in the arctic, there are very few observations of O3 depletion driven by halogens in the mid-latitudes. To date, the most comprehensive study observed co-occurring plumes of BrO and depleted O3 near the Dead Sea in 1997. During the Utah Wintertime Fine Particulate Study (UWFPS) in winter 2017, simultaneous measurements of a comprehensive suite of halogen measurements by I- chemical ionization mass spectrometry and O3 from cavity ring-down spectroscopy, both at 1-second time resolution, were taken on a NOAA Twin Otter Aircraft over the Great Salt Lake and in the surrounding valleys. Many O3 depletion events were observed over the lake with O3 values sometimes below the instrument detection limit of 0.5 ppbv. Corresponding increases in BrO and/or ClO were observed. Many of these events were caused by extremely high levels of halogens (up to 1 ppmv Cl2) emitted from the U.S. Magnesium plant on the edge of the lake. The O3 depletion caused by U.S. Magnesium was usually isolated to a distinct vertical layer, but in other cases O3 depletion was vertically mixed and the origin of halogen activation was not immediately clear. The most complete O3 depletion was observed over the lake, but there were smaller events of a few ppbv observed in the adjacent valleys, including the highly populated Salt Lake Valley, with corresponding plumes of BrO and ClO, due to transport from the lake. Additionally, meteorology played a role in the observed O3 depletion. The strongest O3 depletion was observed during inversion events, when there is a low boundary layer and little mixing out of the air above the lake. During non-inversion conditions, only small depletions were observed, covering a much smaller

Monitoring of Observation Errors in the Assimilation of Satellite Ozone Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stajner, Ivanka; Winslow, Nathan; Rood, Richard B.; Pawson, Steven

2003-01-01

The stratospheric ozone layer protects life on Earth from the harmful effects of solar ultravioiet radiation. The ozone layer is currently in a fragile state because of depletion caused by man-made chemicals, especially chlorofluorocarbons. The state of the ozone layer is being monitored and evaluated by scientific experts around the world, in order to help policy makers assess the impacts of international protocols that control the production and release of ozone depleting chemicals. Scientists use a variety ozone measurements and models in order to form a comprehensive picture about the current state of the ozone layer, and to predict the future behavior (expected to be a recovery, as the abundance of the depleting chemicals decreases). Among the data sets used, those from satellite-borne instruments have the advantage of providing a wealth of information about the ozone distribution over most of the globe. Several instruments onboard American and international satellites make measurements of the properties of the atmosphere, from which atmospheric ozone amounts are estimated; long-term measurement programs enable monitoring of trends in ozone. However, the characteristics of satellite instruments change in time. For example, the instrument lenses through which measurements are made may deteriorate over time, or the satellite orbit may drift so that measurements over each location are made later and later in the day. These changes may increase the errors in the retrieved ozone amounts, and degrade the quality of estimated ozone amounts and of their variability. Our work focuses on combining the satellite ozone data with global models that capture atmospheric motion and ozone chemistry, using advanced statistical techniques: this is known as data assimilation. Our method provides a three-dimensional global ozone distribution that is consistent with both the satellite measurements and with our understanding of processes (described in the models) that control ozone

The increasing threat to stratospheric ozone from dichloromethane.

PubMed

Hossaini, Ryan; Chipperfield, Martyn P; Montzka, Stephen A; Leeson, Amber A; Dhomse, Sandip S; Pyle, John A

2017-06-27

It is well established that anthropogenic chlorine-containing chemicals contribute to ozone layer depletion. The successful implementation of the Montreal Protocol has led to reductions in the atmospheric concentration of many ozone-depleting gases, such as chlorofluorocarbons. As a consequence, stratospheric chlorine levels are declining and ozone is projected to return to levels observed pre-1980 later this century. However, recent observations show the atmospheric concentration of dichloromethane-an ozone-depleting gas not controlled by the Montreal Protocol-is increasing rapidly. Using atmospheric model simulations, we show that although currently modest, the impact of dichloromethane on ozone has increased markedly in recent years and if these increases continue into the future, the return of Antarctic ozone to pre-1980 levels could be substantially delayed. Sustained growth in dichloromethane would therefore offset some of the gains achieved by the Montreal Protocol, further delaying recovery of Earth's ozone layer.

The increasing threat to stratospheric ozone from dichloromethane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hossaini, Ryan; Chipperfield, Martyn P.; Montzka, Stephen A.; Leeson, Amber A.; Dhomse, Sandip S.; Pyle, John A.

2017-06-01

It is well established that anthropogenic chlorine-containing chemicals contribute to ozone layer depletion. The successful implementation of the Montreal Protocol has led to reductions in the atmospheric concentration of many ozone-depleting gases, such as chlorofluorocarbons. As a consequence, stratospheric chlorine levels are declining and ozone is projected to return to levels observed pre-1980 later this century. However, recent observations show the atmospheric concentration of dichloromethane--an ozone-depleting gas not controlled by the Montreal Protocol--is increasing rapidly. Using atmospheric model simulations, we show that although currently modest, the impact of dichloromethane on ozone has increased markedly in recent years and if these increases continue into the future, the return of Antarctic ozone to pre-1980 levels could be substantially delayed. Sustained growth in dichloromethane would therefore offset some of the gains achieved by the Montreal Protocol, further delaying recovery of Earth's ozone layer.

The search for signs of recovery of the ozone layer.

PubMed

Weatherhead, Elizabeth C; Andersen, Signe Bech

2006-05-04

Evidence of mid-latitude ozone depletion and proof that the Antarctic ozone hole was caused by humans spurred policy makers from the late 1980s onwards to ratify the Montreal Protocol and subsequent treaties, legislating for reduced production of ozone-depleting substances. The case of anthropogenic ozone loss has often been cited since as a success story of international agreements in the regulation of environmental pollution. Although recent data suggest that total column ozone abundances have at least not decreased over the past eight years for most of the world, it is still uncertain whether this improvement is actually attributable to the observed decline in the amount of ozone-depleting substances in the Earth's atmosphere. The high natural variability in ozone abundances, due in part to the solar cycle as well as changes in transport and temperature, could override the relatively small changes expected from the recent decrease in ozone-depleting substances. Whatever the benefits of the Montreal agreement, recovery of ozone is likely to occur in a different atmospheric environment, with changes expected in atmospheric transport, temperature and important trace gases. It is therefore unlikely that ozone will stabilize at levels observed before 1980, when a decline in ozone concentrations was first observed.

Children's and adults' knowledge and models of reasoning about the ozone layer and its depletion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leighton, Jacqueline P.; Bisanz, Gay L.

2003-01-01

As environmental concepts, the ozone layer and ozone hole are important to understand because they can profoundly influence our health. In this paper, we examined: (a) children's and adults' knowledge of the ozone layer and its depletion, and whether this knowledge increases with age' and (b) how the 'ozone layer' and 'ozone hole' might be structured as scientific concepts. We generated a standardized set of questions and used it to interview 24 kindergarten students, 48 Grade 3 students, 24 Grade 5 students, and 24 adults in university, in Canada. An analysis of participants' responses revealed that adults have more knowledge than children about the ozone layer and ozone hole, but both adults and children exhibit little knowledge about protecting themselves from the ozone hole. Moreover, only some participants exhibited 'mental models' in their conceptual understanding of the ozone layer and ozone hole. The implications of these results for health professionals, educators, and scientists are discussed.

Studies on Stratospheric Moistening and Its Effect on Ozone Depletion in Global Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Upal; Maitra, Animesh; Adhikari, Arpita

2012-07-01

them with a significant correlation. Atomic and molecular oxygen are produced due to photo-dissociation of the H2O molecule in the stratosphere. The stratospheric hydroxyl free radicals are responsible to deplete stratospheric ozone into oxygen via combination-recombination reaction. A decrease in stratospheric ozone concentration caused by the OH radical is predominant in the lower stratosphere but this process also extends to troposphere. Thus a decrease of ozone concentration is expected in Indian and South Asian Monsoon region, which will indicate an overview of ozone depletion in global perspective due to stratospheric moistening.

Modelling the Impacts of Long-term Changes in Ozone Depleting Substances on Stratospheric Composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chipperfield, M.; Feng, W.; Dhomse, S.; Hossaini, R.

2016-12-01

Long-lived ozone-depleting substances (ODSs), such as chlorofluorocarbons, halons and other gases, are controlled by the Montreal Protocol. Consequently, their atmospheric abundance has started to decline. This has led to a decrease in the overall loading of inorganic chlorine and bromine in the stratosphere and our expectation of recovery of the ozone layer. While observations of atmospheric composition are largely consistent with this picture, there remain some quantitative issues, which are investigated here using multi-decadal simulations of a three-dimensional chemical transport model. For example, atmospheric carbon tetrachloride has been decreasing at a slower rate than expected based on lifetime estimates and known emissions. We use the 3-D model to investigate the impact of uncertainties in the loss process. Also, increases in uncontrolled anthropogenic very short-lived species (VSLS), such as CH2Cl2, may offset some of the decline in chlorine from long-lived species, thereby delaying ozone recovery. We will quantify this impact using the 3-D model. Overall, we will use the model to test the agreement between observed changes in the near-surface abundance of ODSs and changes to stratospheric chlorine and bromine. For example, past studies have noted that variability in stratospheric dynamics (i.e. age of stratospheric air) can complicate the detection of composition trends. Finally, we will use the model to quantify the expected extent of ozone recovery from the combined effect of ODS decreases by late 2016.

A depleted ozone layer absorbs less UV-B, cooling the ozone layer, increasing the amount of UV-B observed to reach Earth, heating air by dissociating tropospheric and ground-level ozone, and heating oceans very efficiently by penetrating tens of meters into the mixed layer. UV-B is 48 times more energetic ("hotter") than IR absorbed by greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, P. L.

2017-12-01

This new insight into the physics of radiation shows why changes in stratospheric ozone are observed to cause changes in global temperature. By 1970, manufactured CFC gases and ozone depletion began increasing. By 1993, increases in CFCs stopped as mandated by the Montreal Protocol. By 1995, increases in ozone depletion stopped. By 1998, increases in temperature stopped until 2014. Ozone is also depleted by halogen gases emitted from major basaltic lava flows, the largest of which, since 1783, occurred at Bardarbunga in Iceland in 2014, causing 2015 and 2016 to be the hottest years on record. Throughout Earth history, the largest basaltic lava flows were contemporaneous with periods of greatest warming and greatest levels of mass extinctions. Planck's empirical law shows that temperature of matter results from oscillation of all the bonds holding matter together. The higher the temperature, the higher the frequencies and amplitudes of oscillation. Thus, radiation from a nearby hotter body will make the absorbing body hotter than radiation from a cooler body. According to the Planck-Einstein relation, thermal energy (E) in matter and in radiation equals frequency of oscillation (ν) times the Planck constant (h), E=hν—the energy of a frictionless atomic oscillator. Since frequency is observed to be a very broad continuum extending from radio signals through visible light to gamma rays, thermal energy (E=hν) must also be a very broad continuum. Thermal flux cannot be represented properly by a single number of watts per square meter, as commonly assumed throughout the physical sciences, because all frequencies coexist and the number of watts increases with frequency. Thus, UV-B solar radiation is 48 times more energetic than IR terrestrial radiation absorbed by greenhouse gases and can make the absorbing body 48 times hotter. UV-B causes sunburn; no amount of IR can cause sunburn. Furthermore, in a basic experiment, I show that air containing more than 23 times

Global Warming and Ozone Layer Depletion: STS Issues for Social Studies Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rye, James A.; Strong, Donna D.; Rubba, Peter A.

2001-01-01

Explores the inclusion of science-technology-society (STS) education in social studies. Provides background information on global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer. Focuses on reasons for teaching global climate change in the social studies classroom and includes teaching suggestions. Offers a list of Web sites about global climate…

Ozone Depletion Caused by Rocket Engine Emissions: A Fundamental Limit on the Scale and Viability of Space-Based Geoengineering Schemes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, M. N.; Toohey, D.

2008-12-01

Emissions from solid and liquid propellant rocket engines reduce global stratospheric ozone levels. Currently ~ one kiloton of payloads are launched into earth orbit annually by the global space industry. Stratospheric ozone depletion from present day launches is a small fraction of the ~ 4% globally averaged ozone loss caused by halogen gases. Thus rocket engine emissions are currently considered a minor, if poorly understood, contributor to ozone depletion. Proposed space-based geoengineering projects designed to mitigate climate change would require order of magnitude increases in the amount of material launched into earth orbit. The increased launches would result in comparable increases in the global ozone depletion caused by rocket emissions. We estimate global ozone loss caused by three space-based geoengineering proposals to mitigate climate change: (1) mirrors, (2) sunshade, and (3) space-based solar power (SSP). The SSP concept does not directly engineer climate, but is touted as a mitigation strategy in that SSP would reduce CO2 emissions. We show that launching the mirrors or sunshade would cause global ozone loss between 2% and 20%. Ozone loss associated with an economically viable SSP system would be at least 0.4% and possibly as large as 3%. It is not clear which, if any, of these levels of ozone loss would be acceptable under the Montreal Protocol. The large uncertainties are mainly caused by a lack of data or validated models regarding liquid propellant rocket engine emissions. Our results offer four main conclusions. (1) The viability of space-based geoengineering schemes could well be undermined by the relatively large ozone depletion that would be caused by the required rocket launches. (2) Analysis of space- based geoengineering schemes should include the difficult tradeoff between the gain of long-term (~ decades) climate control and the loss of short-term (~ years) deep ozone loss. (3) The trade can be properly evaluated only if our

Twenty Five Years of Airborne Observations of Ozone-Depleting and Climate-Related Gases in the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elkins, J. W.; Moore, F. L.; Hintsa, E. J.; Dutton, G. S.; Nance, J. D.; Hall, B. D.

2016-12-01

NOAA scientists started in situ airborne measurements of two strong ozone-depleting gases or chlorofluorocarbons, CFC-11 and CFC-113 in 1991 on the NASA ER-2 aircraft with a two-channel gas chromatograph, Airborne Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species (ACATS). We broaden our list of gases to include more ozone-depleting and other climate-related gases. An improved 4-channel gas chromatograph that included N2O, SF6, CFC-11, -12, -113, halon-1211, CCl4, CH3CCl3, CH4, CO, and H2 was added to the ER-2 aircraft in 1994. As CFC replacements took hold, we add a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer system, PAN and other Trace Hydro-halocarbon Experiment (PANTHER), to examine shorter-lived gases mainly in the upper troposphere. These airborne measurements were to complement of ground-based flask and in situ measurements from the NOAA Halocarbon and other Trace Species Network. This talk will show results from a tropical study, Airborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment (ATTREX) on the NASA Global Hawk aircraft and preliminary results from the Atmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom) conducted in August 2016 on the NASA DC-8 aircraft. A detrended, gridded, latitudinal distribution of SF6 is shown in the figure below for the years of 1994 through 2014. Such a plot may be useful to atmospheric modelers trying to capture transport or calculate emissions.

Influence of Mountains on Arctic Tropospheric Ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whiteway, J. A.; Seabrook, J.

2015-12-01

Tropospheric ozone was measured above Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic during spring using a differential absorption lidar (DIAL). Analysis of the observations revealed that mountains had a significant effect on the vertical distribution of ozone. Ozone depletion events were observed when air that had spent significant time near to the frozen surface of the Arctic Ocean reached Eureka. This air arrived at Eureka by flowing over the surrounding mountains. Surface level ozone depletion events were not observed during periods when mountains blocked the flow of air from over the sea ice. In the case of blocking there was an enhancement in the amount of ozone near the surface as air from the mid troposphere descended in the lee of the mountains. Three case studies will be presented.

Student Teacher Understanding of the Greenhouse Effect, Ozone Layer Depletion, and Acid Rain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dove, Jane

1996-01-01

Describes the results of a survey designed to ascertain details of student teachers' knowledge and misconceptions about the greenhouse effect, acid rain, and ozone layer depletion. Results indicate familiarity with the issues but little understanding of the concepts involved and many commonly held misconceptions. (JRH)

Influence of mountains on Arctic tropospheric ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seabrook, Jeffrey; Whiteway, James

2016-02-01

Tropospheric ozone was measured above Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic during spring of 2008 using a differential absorption lidar. The observations were carried out at Eureka Weather Station, which is located between various mountain ranges. Analysis of the observations revealed that mountains had a significant effect on the vertical distribution of ozone. Ozone depletion events were observed when air that had spent significant time near to the frozen surface of the Arctic Ocean reached Eureka. This air arrived at Eureka by flowing over the surrounding mountains. Surface level ozone depletions were not observed during periods when mountains blocked the flow of air from over the sea ice. In the case of blocking there was an enhancement in the amount of ozone near the surface as air from the midtroposphere descended in the lee of the mountains. Three case studies from spring of 2008 are described.

Bromine atom production and chain propagation during springtime Arctic ozone depletion events in Barrow, Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Chelsea R.; Shepson, Paul B.; Liao, Jin; Huey, L. Greg; Cantrell, Chris; Flocke, Frank; Orlando, John

2017-03-01

Ozone depletion events (ODEs) in the Arctic are primarily controlled by a bromine radical-catalyzed destruction mechanism that depends on the efficient production and recycling of Br atoms. Numerous laboratory and modeling studies have suggested the importance of heterogeneous recycling of Br through HOBr reaction with bromide on saline surfaces. On the other hand, the gas-phase regeneration of bromine atoms through BrO-BrO radical reactions has been assumed to be an efficient, if not dominant, pathway for Br reformation and thus ozone destruction. Indeed, it has been estimated that the rate of ozone depletion is approximately equal to twice the rate of the BrO self-reaction. Here, we use a zero-dimensional, photochemical model, largely constrained to observations of stable atmospheric species from the 2009 Ocean-Atmosphere-Sea Ice-Snowpack (OASIS) campaign in Barrow, Alaska, to investigate gas-phase bromine radical propagation and recycling mechanisms of bromine atoms for a 7-day period during late March. This work is a continuation of that presented in Thompson et al. (2015) and utilizes the same model construct. Here, we use the gas-phase radical chain length as a metric for objectively quantifying the efficiency of gas-phase recycling of bromine atoms. The gas-phase bromine chain length is determined to be quite small, at < 1.5, and highly dependent on ambient O3 concentrations. Furthermore, we find that Br atom production from photolysis of Br2 and BrCl, which is predominately emitted from snow and/or aerosol surfaces, can account for between 30 and 90 % of total Br atom production. This analysis suggests that condensed-phase production of bromine is at least as important as, and at times greater than, gas-phase recycling for the occurrence of Arctic ODEs. Therefore, the rate of the BrO self-reaction is not a sufficient estimate for the rate of O3 depletion.

The Hole in the Ozone Layer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamers, Jeanne S.; Jacob, Anthony T.

This document contains information on the hole in the ozone layer. Topics discussed include properties of ozone, ozone in the atmosphere, chlorofluorocarbons, stratospheric ozone depletion, effects of ozone depletion on life, regulation of substances that deplete the ozone layer, alternatives to CFCs and Halons, and the future of the ozone layer.…

Polar boundary layer bromine explosion and ozone depletion events in the chemistry-climate model EMAC v2.52: implementation and evaluation of AirSnow algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falk, Stefanie; Sinnhuber, Björn-Martin

2018-03-01

Ozone depletion events (ODEs) in the polar boundary layer have been observed frequently during springtime. They are related to events of boundary layer enhancement of bromine. Consequently, increased amounts of boundary layer volume mixing ratio (VMR) and vertical column densities (VCDs) of BrO have been observed by in situ observation, ground-based as well as airborne remote sensing, and from satellites. These so-called bromine explosion (BE) events have been discussed serving as a source of tropospheric BrO at high latitudes, which has been underestimated in global models so far. We have implemented a treatment of bromine release and recycling on sea-ice- and snow-covered surfaces in the global chemistry-climate model EMAC (ECHAM/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry) based on the scheme of Toyota et al. (2011). In this scheme, dry deposition fluxes of HBr, HOBr, and BrNO3 over ice- and snow-covered surfaces are recycled into Br2 fluxes. In addition, dry deposition of O3, dependent on temperature and sunlight, triggers a Br2 release from surfaces associated with first-year sea ice. Many aspects of observed bromine enhancements and associated episodes of near-complete depletion of boundary layer ozone, both in the Arctic and in the Antarctic, are reproduced by this relatively simple approach. We present first results from our global model studies extending over a full annual cycle, including comparisons with Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) satellite BrO VCDs and surface ozone observations.

Environmental effects of ozone depletion and its interactions with climate change: progress report, 2015

EPA Science Inventory

The Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) is one of three Panels that regularly informs the Parties (countries) to the Montreal Protocol on the effects of ozone depletion and the consequences of climate change interactions with respect to human health, animals, plants, bi...

The Antarctic Ozone Hole: New Approaches for Detection of the Onset of Stratospheric Ozone Recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Laat, J.; van Weele, M.; van der A, R. J.

2016-12-01

An important aspect of human influences on climate concerns the Antarctic ozone hole, the strong thinning of the thickness of the ozone layer during springtime over Antarctica, first observed in the early 1980s. Antarctic stratospheric ozone is expected to fully recover in the second half of the 21st century because of policy measures to eliminate emissions of ozone depleting substances. Identification of the onset of this recovery would mark an important scientific and political milestone, but has remained difficult so far owing to natural climate variability and methodological ambiguities. In this presentation, we will first give a brief introduction to methods that have been used in the past to try to identify the onset of recovery, and discuss their shortcomings and ambiguities. Secondly, we introduce and discuss a several observations-based new approaches for ozone recovery detection in the Antarctic Ozone Hole that we have developed, explain why we believe these methods are more robust than standard methods, and outline how they circumvent crucial pitfalls of the previously used methods. Finally, we present our analyses, showing that these new approaches applied to various sets of remote sensing observations provide the best evidence to date that that ozone destruction within the Antarctic Ozone Hole has significantly decreased since approximately the year 2000, and which can be attributed to concurrently decreasing ozone depleting substances.

Students' Understanding of the Greenhouse Effect, the Societal Consequences of Reducing CO2 Emissions and the Problem of Ozone Layer Depletion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersson, Bjorn; Wallin, Anita

2000-01-01

Contributes to the growing body of knowledge about students' conceptions and views of environmental and natural resource issues. Questions 9th and 12th grade Swedish students' understandings of the greenhouse effect, reduction of CO2 emissions, and the depletion of the ozone layer. Observes five models of the greenhouse effect that appear among…

Photoreactivation in Paramecium tetraurelia under conditions of various degrees of ozone layer depletion.

PubMed

Takahashi, Akihisa; Kumatani, Toshihiro; Usui, Saori; Tsujimura, Ryoko; Seki, Takaharu; Morimoto, Kouichi; Ohnishi, Takeo

2005-01-01

Photoreactivation (PR) is an efficient survival mechanism that helps protect cells against the harmful effects of solar-ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The PR mechanism involves photolyase, just one enzyme, and can repair DNA damage, such as cyclobutane-pyrimidine dimers (CPD) induced by near-UV/blue light, a component of sunlight. Although the balance of near-UV/blue light and far-UV light reaching the Earth's surface could be altered by the atmospheric ozone layer's depletion, experiments simulating this environmental change and its possible effects on life have not yet been performed. To quantify the strength of UVB in sunlight reaching the Earth's surface, we measured the number of CPD generated in plasmid DNA after UVB irradiation or exposure to sunlight. To simulate the increase of solar-UV radiation resulting from the ozone layer depletion, Paramecium tetraurelia was exposed to UVB and/or sunlight in clear summer weather. PR recovery after exposure to sunlight was complete at a low dose rate of 0.2 J/m2 x s, but was less efficient when the dose rate was increased by a factor of 2.5 to 0.5 J/m2 x s. It is suggested that solar-UV radiation would not influence the cell growth of P. tetraurelia for the reason of high PR activity even when the ozone concentration was decreased 30% from the present levels.

Spaceship Nigeria: A Topic Study for Global Warming, Greenhouse Effect and Ozone Layer Depletion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okebukola, Peter; Akpan, Ben B.

1997-01-01

Explains the concept of a topic study, how it meets the needs of teachers seeking to integrate their teaching, and how it is especially well suited for environmental education. Outlines curriculum for a topic study on the greenhouse effect and ozone layer depletion. (DDR)

OZONE DEPLETION AND THE AIR-SEA EXCHANGE OF GREENHOUSE AND CHEMICALLY REACTIVE TRACE GASES

EPA Science Inventory

One of the most important aspects of global change is that of stratospheric ozone depletion and the resulting increase in UV radiation reaching the surface of the Earth. Some 70% of the Earth surface is covered by water containing an extremely complicated milieu of organic and in...

Balloon-borne observations of the development and vertical structure of the Antarctic ozone hole in 1986

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hofmann, D. J.; Harder, J. W.; Rolf, S. R.; Rosen, J. M.

1987-01-01

The vertical distribution of ozone measured at McMurdo Station, Antarctica using balloon-borne sensors on 33 occasions during November 6, 1986 - August 25, 1986 is described. These observations suggest a highly structured cavity confined to the 12-20 km altitude region. In the 17-19 km altitude range, the ozone volume mixing ratio declined from about 2 ppm at the end of August to about 0.5 ppm by mid-October. The average decay in this region can be described as exponential with a half life of about 25 days. While total ozone, as obtained from profile integration, declined only about 35 percent, the integrated ozone between 14 and 18 km declined more than 70 percent. Vertical ozone profiles in the vortex revealed unusual structure with major features from 1 to 5 km thick which had suffered ozone depletions as great as 90 percent.

Ozone Depletion, UVB and Atmospheric Chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stolarski, Richard S.

1999-01-01

The primary constituents of the Earth's atmosphere are molecular nitrogen and molecular oxygen. Ozone is created when ultraviolet light from the sun photodissociates molecular oxygen into two oxygen atoms. The oxygen atoms undergo many collisions but eventually combine with a molecular oxygen to form ozone (O3). The ozone molecules absorb ultraviolet solar radiation, primarily in the wavelength region between 200 and 300 nanometers, resulting in the dissociation of ozone back into atomic oxygen and molecular oxygen. The oxygen atom reattaches to an O2 molecule, reforming ozone which can then absorb another ultraviolet photon. This sequence goes back and forth between atomic oxygen and ozone, each time absorbing a uv photon, until the oxygen atom collides with and ozone molecule to reform two oxygen molecules.

Spatio-temporal observations of tertiary ozone maximum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sofieva, V. F.; Kyrölä, E.; Verronen, P. T.; Seppälä, A.; Tamminen, J.; Marsh, D. R.; Smith, A. K.; Bertaux, J.-L.; Hauchecorne, A.; Dalaudier, F.; Fussen, D.; Vanhellemont, F.; Fanton D'Andon, O.; Barrot, G.; Guirlet, M.; Fehr, T.; Saavedra, L.

2009-03-01

We present spatio-temporal distributions of tertiary ozone maximum (TOM), based on GOMOS (Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars) ozone measurements in 2002-2006. The tertiary ozone maximum is typically observed in the high-latitude winter mesosphere at altitude ~72 km. Although the explanation for this phenomenon has been found recently - low concentrations of odd-hydrogen cause the subsequent decrease in odd-oxygen losses - models have had significant deviations from existing observations until recently. Good coverage of polar night regions by GOMOS data has allowed for the first time obtaining spatial and temporal observational distributions of night-time ozone mixing ratio in the mesosphere. The distributions obtained from GOMOS data have specific features, which are variable from year to year. In particular, due to a long lifetime of ozone in polar night conditions, the downward transport of polar air by the meridional circulation is clearly observed in the tertiary ozone maximum time series. Although the maximum tertiary ozone mixing ratio is achieved close to the polar night terminator (as predicted by the theory), TOM can be observed also at very high latitudes, not only in the beginning and at the end, but also in the middle of winter. We have compared the observational spatio-temporal distributions of tertiary ozone maximum with that obtained using WACCM (Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model) and found that the specific features are reproduced satisfactorily by the model. Since ozone in the mesosphere is very sensitive to HOx concentrations, energetic particle precipitation can significantly modify the shape of the ozone profiles. In particular, GOMOS observations have shown that the tertiary ozone maximum was temporarily destroyed during the January 2005 and December 2006 solar proton events as a result of the HOx enhancement from the increased ionization.

Highlights from a Decade of OMI-TOMS Total Ozone Observations on EOS Aura

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haffner, David P.; Bhartia, Pawan K.; McPeters, Richard D.; Joiner, Joanna; Ziemke, Jerald R.; Vassilkov, Alexander; Labow, Gordon J.; Chiou, Er-Woon

2014-01-01

Total ozone measurements from OMI have been instrumental in meeting Aura science objectives. In the last decade, OMI has extended the length of the TOMS total ozone record to over 35 years to monitor stratospheric ozone recovery. OMI-TOMS total ozone measurements have also been combined synergistically with measurements from other Aura instruments and MLS in particular, which provides vertically resolved information that complements the total O3 mapping capability of OMI. With this combined approach, the EOS Aura platform has produced more accurate and detailed measurements of tropospheric ozone. This has led in turn to greater understanding of the sources and transport of tropospheric ozone as well as its radiative forcing effect. The combined use of OMI and MLS data was also vital to the analysis of the severe Arctic ozone depletion event of 2011. The quality of OMI-TOMS total O3 data used in these studies is the result of several factors: a mature and well-validated algorithm, the striking stability of the OMI instrument, and OMI's hyperspectral capabilities used to derive cloud pressures. The latter has changed how we think about the effects of clouds on total ozone retrievals. We will discuss the evolution of the operational V8.5 algorithm and provide an overview and motivation for V9. After reviewing results and developments of the past decade, we finally highlight how ozone observations from EOS Aura are playing an important role in new ozone mapping missions.

Chemical and Dynamical Impacts of Stratospheric Sudden Warmings on Arctic Ozone Variability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strahan, S. E.; Douglass, A. R.; Steenrod, S. D.

2016-01-01

We use the Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) chemistry and transport model with Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) meteorological fields to quantify heterogeneous chemical ozone loss in Arctic winters 2005-2015. Comparisons to Aura Microwave Limb Sounder N2O and O3 observations show the GMI simulation credibly represents the transport processes and net heterogeneous chemical loss necessary to simulate Arctic ozone. We find that the maximum seasonal ozone depletion varies linearly with the number of cold days and with wave driving (eddy heat flux) calculated from MERRA fields. We use this relationship and MERRA temperatures to estimate seasonal ozone loss from 1993 to 2004 when inorganic chlorine levels were in the same range as during the Aura period. Using these loss estimates and the observed March mean 63-90N column O3, we quantify the sensitivity of the ozone dynamical resupply to wave driving, separating it from the sensitivity of ozone depletion to wave driving. The results show that about 2/3 of the deviation of the observed March Arctic O3 from an assumed climatological mean is due to variations in O3 resupply and 13 is due to depletion. Winters with a stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) before mid-February have about 1/3 the depletion of winters without one and export less depletion to the midlatitudes. However, a larger effect on the spring midlatitude ozone comes from dynamical differences between warm and cold Arctic winters, which can mask or add to the impact of exported depletion.

Ozone, ozone production rates and NO observations on the outskirts of Quito, Ecuador

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cazorla, M.

2014-12-01

Air quality measurements of ambient ozone, ozone production rates and nitrogen oxides, in addition to baseline meterology observations, are being taken at a recently built roof-top facility on the campus of Universidad San Francisco de Quito, in Ecuador. The measurement site is located in Cumbayá, a densely populated valley adjacent to the city of Quito. Time series of ozone and NO are being obtained with commercial air quality monitors. Rush-hour peaks of NO, above 100 ppb, have been observed, while daytime ozone levels are low. In addition, ozone production rates are being measured with the Ecuadorian version of the MOPS, Measurement of Ozone Production Sensor, originally built at Penn State University in 2010. NO and ozone observations and test results of measured ozone production rates will be presented.

Lidar Measurements of Tropospheric Ozone in the Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seabrook, Jeffrey; Whiteway, James

2016-06-01

This paper reports on differential absorption lidar (DIAL) measurements of tropospheric ozone in the Canadian Arctic during springtime. Measurements at Eureka Weather Station revealed that mountains have a significant effect on the vertical structure of ozone above Ellesmere Island. Ozone depletion events were observed when air that had spent significant time near to the frozen surface of the Arctic Ocean reached Eureka. This air arrived at Eureka by flowing over the surrounding mountains. Surface level ozone depletions were not observed during periods when the flow of air from over the sea ice was blocked by mountains. In the case of blocking there was an enhancement in the amount of ozone near the surface as air from the mid troposphere descended in the lee of the mountains. Three case studies will be shown in the presentation, while one is described in this paper.

Depletion of ozone and reservoir species of chlorine and nitrogen oxide in the lower Antarctic polar vortex measured from aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurkat, T.; Voigt, C.; Kaufmann, S.; Grooß, J.-U.; Ziereis, H.; Dörnbrack, A.; Hoor, P.; Bozem, H.; Engel, A.; Bönisch, H.; Keber, T.; Hüneke, T.; Pfeilsticker, K.; Zahn, A.; Walker, K. A.; Boone, C. D.; Bernath, P. F.; Schlager, H.

2017-06-01

Novel airborne in situ measurements of inorganic chlorine, nitrogen oxide species, and ozone were performed inside the lower Antarctic polar vortex and at its edge in September 2012. We focus on one flight during the Transport and Composition of the LMS/Earth System Model Validation (TACTS/ESMVal) campaign with the German research aircraft HALO (High-Altitude LOng range research aircraft), reaching latitudes of 65°S and potential temperatures up to 405 K. Using the early winter correlations of reactive trace gases with N2O from the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment-Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS), we find high depletion of chlorine reservoir gases up to ˜40% (0.8 ppbv) at 12 km to 14 km altitude in the vortex and 0.4 ppbv at the edge in subsided stratospheric air with mean ages up to 4.5 years. We observe denitrification of up to 4 ppbv, while ozone was depleted by 1.2 ppmv at potential temperatures as low as 380 K. The advanced instrumentation aboard HALO enables high-resolution measurements with implications for the oxidation capacity of the lowermost stratosphere.

Turkish Primary Science Teacher Candidates' Understandings of Global Warming and Ozone Layer Depletion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yalcin, Fatma Aggul; Yalcin, Mehmet

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study was to explore Turkish primary science teacher candidates' understanding of global warming and ozone layer depletion. In the study, as the research approach the survey method was used. The sample consisted of one hundred eighty nine third grade science teacher candidates. Data was collected using the tool developed by the…

Stratospheric ozone depletion due to nitrous oxide: influences of other gases

PubMed Central

Portmann, R. W.; Daniel, J. S.; Ravishankara, A. R.

2012-01-01

The effects of anthropogenic emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and the halocarbons on stratospheric ozone (O3) over the twentieth and twenty-first centuries are isolated using a chemical model of the stratosphere. The future evolution of ozone will depend on each of these gases, with N2O and CO2 probably playing the dominant roles as halocarbons return towards pre-industrial levels. There are nonlinear interactions between these gases that preclude unambiguously separating their effect on ozone. For example, the CH4 increase during the twentieth century reduced the ozone losses owing to halocarbon increases, and the N2O chemical destruction of O3 is buffered by CO2 thermal effects in the middle stratosphere (by approx. 20% for the IPCC A1B/WMO A1 scenario over the time period 1900–2100). Nonetheless, N2O is expected to continue to be the largest anthropogenic emission of an O3-destroying compound in the foreseeable future. Reductions in anthropogenic N2O emissions provide a larger opportunity for reduction in future O3 depletion than any of the remaining uncontrolled halocarbon emissions. It is also shown that 1980 levels of O3 were affected by halocarbons, N2O, CO2 and CH4, and thus may not be a good choice of a benchmark of O3 recovery. PMID:22451111

Observed and theoretical variations of atmospheric ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

London, J.

1976-01-01

Results are summarized from three areas of ozone research: (1) continued analysis of the global distribution of total ozone to extend the global ozone atlas to summarize 15 years (1957-72) of ground based observations; (2) analysis of balloon borne ozonesonde observations for Arosa, Switzerland, and Hohenpeissenberg, Germany (GFR); (3) contined processing of the (Orbiting Geophysical Observatory-4) satellite data to complete the analysis of the stratospheric ozone distribution from the available OGO-4 data. Results of the analysis of the total ozone observations indicated that the long term ozone variation have marked regional patterns and tend to alternate with season and hemisphere. It is becoming increasingly clear that these long period changes are associated with large scale variations in the general upper atmosphere circulation patterns.

Ozone profiles over McMurdo Station, Antarctica, during August, September, and October of 1986 - 1991

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deshler, Terry; Hofmann, David J.

1994-01-01

Vertical profiles of ozone and temperature have been measured at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, during the springs of 1986 to 1991, roughly every two days from 25 August to 31 October. Comparisons of temporal histories and average vertical structure for these years reveals some striking consistency in the ozone depletion process. Ozone depletion generally begins in early September, and with a half-life of 20-30 days, reaches its maximum in mid-October. The depletion occurs almost exclusively between 12 and 20 km. At the time of maximum depletion total ozone has been decreased roughly 40 percent while ozone between 12 and 20 km has been reduced 80 percent. Recovery generally begins in late October with the influx, above 20 km, of ozone rich air from the lower latitudes. From this record the worst years for ozone depletion were 1987, 1989, and 1990. A new region of ozone depletion, below 12 km, was observed in 1991, coinciding with the entrainment of a volcanic cloud into the polar vortex.

Questions and answers about the effects of the depletion of the ozone layer on humans and the environment.

PubMed

Aucamp, Pieter J

2007-03-01

The ozone molecule contains three atoms of oxygen and is mainly formed by the action of the ultraviolet rays of the sun on the diatomic oxygen molecules in the upper part of the Earth's atmosphere (called the stratosphere). Atmospheric pollution near the Earth's surface can form localized areas of ozone. The stratospheric ozone layer protects life on Earth by absorbing most of the harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. In the mid 1970s it was discovered that some manmade products destroy ozone molecules in the stratosphere. This destruction can result in damage to ecosystems and to materials such as plastics. It may cause an increase in human diseases such as skin cancers and cataracts. The discovery of the role of the synthetic ozone-depleting chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) stimulated increased research and monitoring in this field. Computer models predicted a disaster if no action was taken to protect the ozone layer. Based on this research and monitoring, the nations of the world took action in 1985 with the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer followed by the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987. The Convention and Protocol were amended and adjusted several times as new knowledge was obtained. The Meetings of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol appointed three Assessment Panels to review the progress in scientific knowledge on their behalf. These panels are the Scientific Assessment Panel, the Technological and Economic Assessment Panel and the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel. Each panel covers a designated area and there is a natural level of overlap. The main reports of the Panels are published every four years as required by the Meeting of the Parties. All the reports have an executive summary that is distributed more widely than the main report itself. It became customary to add a set of questions and answers--mainly for non-expert readers--to the executive summaries. This

Volcanoes drive climate variability by emitting ozone weeks before eruptions, by forming lower stratospheric aerosols, by causing sustained ozone depletion, and by causing rapid changes in regional ozone concentrations affecting temperature and pressure differences driving atmospheric oscillations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, P. L.

2016-12-01

Total column ozone observed by satellite on February 19, 2010, increased 75% in a plume from Eyjafjallajökull volcano in southern Iceland eastward past Novaya Zemlya, extending laterally from northern Greenland to southern Norway (http://youtu.be/wJFZcPEfoR4). Contemporaneous ground deformation and rapidly increasing numbers of earthquakes imply magma began rising from a sill 4-6 km below the volcano, erupting a month later. Whether the ozone formed from the magma or from very hot gases rising through cracks in the ground is unclear. On February 20-22, 1991, similar increases in ozone were observed north of Pinatubo volcano before its initial eruption on April 2 (http://youtu.be/5y1PU2Qu3ag). Annual average total column ozone during the year of most moderate to large explosive volcanic eruptions since routine observations of ozone began in 1927 has been substantially higher than normal. Increased total column ozone absorbs more solar ultraviolet-B radiation, warming the ozone layer and cooling Earth. Most major volcanic eruptions form sulfuric-acid aerosols in the lower part of the ozone layer providing aqueous surfaces on which heterogeneous chemical reactions enhance ozone depletion. Within a year, aerosol droplets grew large enough to reflect and scatter high-frequency solar radiation, cooling Earth 0.5oC for 2-3 years. Temperature anomalies in the northern hemisphere rose 0.7oC in 28 years from 1970 to 1998 (HadCRUT4), while annual average ozone at Arosa dropped 27 DU because of manufactured CFC gases. Beginning in August 2014, temperature anomalies in the northern hemisphere rose another 0.6oC in less than two years apparently because of the 6-month eruption of Bárðarbunga volcano in central Iceland, the highest rate of basaltic lava extrusion since 1783. Large extrusions of basaltic lava are typically contemporaneous with the greatest periods of warming throughout Earth history. Ozone concentrations at Arosa change by season typically from 370 DU during

The ozone depletion potentials on halocarbons: Their dependence of calculation assumptions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karol, Igor L.; Kiselev, Andrey A.

1994-01-01

The concept of Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) is widely used in the evaluation of numerous halocarbons and of their replacement effects on ozone, but the methods, assumptions and conditions used in ODP calculations have not been analyzed adequately. In this paper a model study of effects on ozone of the instantaneous releases of various amounts of CH3CCl3 and of CHF2Cl (HCFC-22) for several compositions of the background atmosphere are presented, aimed at understanding connections of ODP values with the assumptions used in their calculations. To facilitate the ODP computation in numerous versions for the long time periods after their releases, the above rather short-lived gases and the one-dimensional radiative photochemical model of the global annually averaged atmospheric layer up to 50 km height are used. The variation of released gas global mass from 1 Mt to 1 Gt leads to ODP value increase with its stabilization close to the upper bound of this range in the contemporary atmosphere. The same variations are analyzed for conditions of the CFC-free atmosphere of 1960's and for the anthropogenically loaded atmosphere in the 21st century according to the known IPCC 'business as usual' scenario. Recommendations for proper ways of ODP calculations are proposed for practically important cases.

Ozone: Good Up High, Bad Nearby

MedlinePlus

... How Does the Depletion of “Good” Ozone Affect Human Health and the Environment? Ozone depletion can cause increased ... their original sources. How Does “Bad” Ozone Affect Human Health and the Environment? Breathing ozone can trigger a ...

Is the Ozone Hole over Your Classroom?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cordero, Eugene C.

2002-01-01

Reports on a survey of first year university science students regarding their understanding of the ozone layer, ozone depletion, and the effect of ozone depletion on Australia. Suggests that better teaching resources for environmental issues such as ozone depletion and global warming are needed before improvements in student understanding can be…

Alternatives to ozone depleting refrigerants in test equipment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Richard L.; Johnson, Madeleine R.

1995-01-01

This paper describes the initial results of a refrigerant retrofit project at the Aerospace Guidance and Metrology Center (AGMC) at Newark Air Force Base, Ohio. The objective is to convert selected types of test equipment to properly operate on hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) alternative refrigerants, having no ozone depleting potential, without compromising system reliability or durability. This paper discusses the primary technical issues and summarizes the test results for 17 different types of test equipment: ten environmental chambers, two ultralow temperature freezers, two coolant recirculators, one temperature control unit, one vapor degreaser, and one refrigerant recovery system. The postconversion performance test results have been very encouraging: system capacity and input power remained virtually unchanged. In some cases, the minimum operating temperature increased by a few degrees as a result of the conversion, but never beyond AGMC's functional requirements.

Ozone Layer Protection

MedlinePlus

... Offices Labs and Research Centers Contact Us Share Ozone Layer Protection The stratospheric ozone layer is Earth’s “ ... to ozone-depleting substances, and sun safety. Stratospheric Ozone Layer Basic Ozone Layer Science Health and Environmental ...

Assimilation of Satellite Ozone Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stajner, I.; Winslow, N.; Wargan, K.; Hayashi, H.; Pawson, S.; Rood, R.

2003-01-01

This talk will discuss assimilation of ozone data from satellite-borne instruments. Satellite observations of ozone total columns and profiles have been measured by a series of Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS), Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) instruments, and more recently by the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment. Additional profile data are provided by instruments on NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite and by occultation instruments on other platforms. Instruments on Envisat' and future EOS Aura satellite will supply even more comprehensive data about the ozone distribution. Satellite data contain a wealth of information, but they do not provide synoptic global maps of ozone fields. These maps can be obtained through assimilation of satellite data into global chemistry and transport models. In the ozone system at NASA's Data Assimilation Office (DAO) any combination of TOMS, SBUV, and Microwave Limb sounder (MLS) data can be assimilated. We found that the addition of MLS to SBUV and TOMS data in the system helps to constrain the ozone distribution, especially in the polar night region and in the tropics. The assimilated ozone distribution in the troposphere and lower stratosphere is sensitive also to finer changes in the SBUV and TOMS data selection and to changes in error covariance models. All results are established by comparisons of assimilated ozone with independent profiles from ozone sondes and occultation instruments.

Spatio-temporal observations of the tertiary ozone maximum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sofieva, V. F.; Kyrölä, E.; Verronen, P. T.; Seppälä, A.; Tamminen, J.; Marsh, D. R.; Smith, A. K.; Bertaux, J.-L.; Hauchecorne, A.; Dalaudier, F.; Fussen, D.; Vanhellemont, F.; Fanton D'Andon, O.; Barrot, G.; Guirlet, M.; Fehr, T.; Saavedra, L.

2009-07-01

We present spatio-temporal distributions of the tertiary ozone maximum (TOM), based on GOMOS (Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars) ozone measurements in 2002-2006. The tertiary ozone maximum is typically observed in the high-latitude winter mesosphere at an altitude of ~72 km. Although the explanation for this phenomenon has been found recently - low concentrations of odd-hydrogen cause the subsequent decrease in odd-oxygen losses - models have had significant deviations from existing observations until recently. Good coverage of polar night regions by GOMOS data has allowed for the first time to obtain spatial and temporal observational distributions of night-time ozone mixing ratio in the mesosphere. The distributions obtained from GOMOS data have specific features, which are variable from year to year. In particular, due to a long lifetime of ozone in polar night conditions, the downward transport of polar air by the meridional circulation is clearly observed in the tertiary ozone maximum time series. Although the maximum tertiary ozone mixing ratio is achieved close to the polar night terminator (as predicted by the theory), TOM can be observed also at very high latitudes, not only in the beginning and at the end, but also in the middle of winter. We have compared the observational spatio-temporal distributions of the tertiary ozone maximum with that obtained using WACCM (Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model) and found that the specific features are reproduced satisfactorily by the model. Since ozone in the mesosphere is very sensitive to HOx concentrations, energetic particle precipitation can significantly modify the shape of the ozone profiles. In particular, GOMOS observations have shown that the tertiary ozone maximum was temporarily destroyed during the January 2005 and December 2006 solar proton events as a result of the HOx enhancement from the increased ionization.

Substituting HCFC-22 for HFC-410A: an environmental impact trade-off between the ozone depletion and climate change regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Z.; Fang, X.; Zhang, J.

2015-12-01

After the phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) as ozone-depleting substances pursuant to the requirements of the Montreal Protocol, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are worldwide used as substitutes although the bulk of them are potent greenhouse gases (GHGs). Therefore, the alternation may bring side effect on global climate change. The trade-off of its environmental impacts between the ozone depletion and climate change regimes necessitates a quantification of the past and future consumption and emissions of both the original HCFCs and their alternative HFCs. Now a dilemma arise in China's RAC industry that HCFC-22, which has an ozone-depleting potential (ODP) of 0.055, has been replaced by HFC-410A, which is a blended potent GHG from respective 50% HFC-32 and HFC-125 with a global warming potential (GWP) of 1923.5. Here, we present our results of estimates of consumption and emissions of HCFC-22 and HFC-410A from 1994 to 2050. Historic emissions of HCFC-22 contributed to global total HCFCs by 4.0% (3.0%-5.6%) ODP-weighted. Projection under a baseline scenario shows future accumulative emissions of HFC-410A make up 5.9%-11.0% of global GWP-weighted HFCs emissions, and its annual contribution to national overall CO2 emissions can be 5.5% in 2050. This makes HCFC-22 and HFC-410A emissions of significant importance in ozone depletion and climate change regimes. Two mitigation scenarios were set to assess the mitigation performance under the North America Proposal and an accelerated schedule. In practice of international environmental agreement, "alternative to alternative" should be developed to avoid regrettable alternations.

Basic Ozone Layer Science

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Learn about the ozone layer and how human activities deplete it. This page provides information on the chemical processes that lead to ozone layer depletion, and scientists' efforts to understand them.

Arctic Ozone Depletion Observed by UARS MLS During the 1994-95 Winter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manney, G. L.; Froidevaux, L.; Waters, J. W.; Santee, M. L.; Read, W. G.; Flower, D. A.; Jarnot, R. F.; Zurek, R. W.

1996-01-01

During the unusually cold 1994-95 Arctic winter, the Microwave Limb Sounder observed enhanced chlorine monoxide (ClO) in late Dec and throughout Feb and early Mar. Late Dec ClO was higher than during any of the previous 3 years, consistent with the colder early winter. Between late Dec 1994 and early Feb 1995, 465 K (about 50 hPa) vortex-averaged ozone (03) decreased by about 15%, with local decreases of about 30%; additional local decreases of about 5% were seen between early Feb and early Mar. Transport calculations indicate that vortex-averaged chemical loss between late Dec and early Feb was about 20% at 465 K, with about 1/4 of that masked by downward transport of O3. This Arctic chemical O3 loss is not readily detectable in MLS column O3 data.

Influence of climate variability on near-surface ozone depletion events in the Arctic spring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koo, Ja-Ho; Wang, Yuhang; Jiang, Tianyu; Deng, Yi; Oltmans, Samuel J.; Solberg, Sverre

2014-04-01

Near-surface ozone depletion events (ODEs) generally occur in the Arctic spring, and the frequency shows large interannual variations. We use surface ozone measurements at Barrow, Alert, and Zeppelinfjellet to analyze if their variations are due to climate variability. In years with frequent ODEs at Barrow and Alert, the western Pacific (WP) teleconnection pattern is usually in its negative phase, during which the Pacific jet is strengthened but the storm track originated over the western Pacific is weakened. Both factors tend to reduce the transport of ozone-rich air mass from midlatitudes to the Arctic, creating a favorable environment for the ODEs. The correlation of ODE frequencies at Zeppelinfjellet with WP indices is higher in the 2000s, reflecting stronger influence of the WP pattern in recent decade to cover ODEs in broader Arctic regions. We find that the WP pattern can be used to diagnose ODE changes and subsequent environmental impacts in the Arctic spring.

Ozone Layer Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McPeters, Richard; Bhartia, P. K. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been monitoring the ozone layer from space using optical remote sensing techniques since 1970. With concern over catalytic destruction of ozone (mid-1970s) and the development of the Antarctic ozone hole (mid-1980s), long term ozone monitoring has become the primary focus of NASA's series of ozone measuring instruments. A series of TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) and SBUV (Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet) instruments has produced a nearly continuous record of global ozone from 1979 to the present. These instruments infer ozone by measuring sunlight backscattered from the atmosphere in the ultraviolet through differential absorption. These measurements have documented a 15 Dobson Unit drop in global average ozone since 1980, and the declines in ozone in the antarctic each October have been far more dramatic. Instruments that measure the ozone vertical distribution, the SBUV and SAGE (Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment) instruments for example, show that the largest changes are occurring in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere. The goal of ozone measurement in the next decades will be to document the predicted recovery of the ozone layer as CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) levels decline. This will require a continuation of global measurements of total column ozone on a global basis, but using data from successor instruments to TOMS. Hyperspectral instruments capable of measuring in the UV will be needed for this purpose. Establishing the relative roles of chemistry and dynamics will require instruments to measure ozone in the troposphere and in the stratosphere with good vertical resolution. Instruments that can measure other chemicals important to ozone formation and destruction will also be needed.

[The relationship between the ozone layer and skin cancer].

PubMed

Sánchez C, Francisca

2006-09-01

In the recent decades, a sustained increase in the worldwide incidence of skin cancer has been observed and Chile is not the exception. The most important risk factor is the exaggerated and repeated exposure to ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun. The ozone layer restricts the transmission of type B and C ultraviolet light. Since 1980, a sustained depletion of stratospheric ozone levels is occurring, specially in middle latitudes (-30 to -60). Along with this depletion, the amount of ultraviolet light that reaches the earth surface is increasing. This article reviews some basic concepts about the ozone layer and the association between its depletion and skin cancer. The general population should be informed about the risks of inadequate and exaggerated exposure to sunlight.

What would have happened to the ozone layer if chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) had not been regulated?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, P. A.; Oman, L. D.; Douglass, A. R.; Fleming, E. L.; Frith, S. M.; Hurwitz, M. M.; Kawa, S. R.; Jackman, C. H.; Krotkov, N. A.; Nash, E. R.; Nielsen, J. E.; Pawson, S.; Stolarski, R. S.; Velders, G. J.

2008-12-01

Ozone depletion by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) was first proposed by Molina and Rowland in their 1974 Nature paper. Since that time, the scientific connection between ozone losses and CFCs and other ozone depleting substances (ODSs) has been firmly established with laboratory measurements, atmospheric observations, and modeling research. The nations of the world implemented the Montreal Protocol (and amendments) which stopped ODS production in 1992. In this presentation we use a fully coupled radiation- chemical-dynamical model to simulate a future world where ODSs were never regulated and ODS production grew at an annual rate of 3%. In this "world avoided" simulation, 17% of the globally average column ozone is destroyed by 2020, and 67% is destroyed by 2065 in comparison to 1980. Large ozone depletions in the polar region become year-round rather than just seasonal as is currently observed in the Antarctic ozone hole. Very large temperature decreases are observed in response to circulation changes and decreased shortwave radiation absorption by ozone. Ozone levels in the tropical lower stratosphere remain constant until about 2053 and then collapse to near zero by 2058 as a result of heterogeneous chemical processes (as currently observed in the Antarctic ozone hole). The tropical cooling that triggers the ozone collapse is caused by an increase of the tropical upwelling. In response to ozone changes, ultraviolet (UV) radiation increases, tripling the erythemal (sunburn) radiation in the northern summer mid-latitudes by 2065.

Satellite ozone measurements and the detection of trends

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilsenrath, Ernest

1990-01-01

Due to the international scientific community's concern with the problem of anthropogenic gas-caused depletion of the ozone layer, an international observational program has been established to conduct stratospheric studies for at least a decade. These observations, which will be performed both by the Space Shuttle and the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, will encompass the energy input by solar UV irradiance, source and intermediate gases in ozone chemistry, and the global distributions of these ozone-affecting gases by winds.

The human health effects of ozone depletion and interactions with climate change.

PubMed

Norval, M; Lucas, R M; Cullen, A P; de Gruijl, F R; Longstreth, J; Takizawa, Y; van der Leun, J C

2011-02-01

Depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer has led to increased solar UV-B radiation (280-315 nm) at the surface of the Earth. This change is likely to have had an impact on human exposure to UV-B radiation with consequential detrimental and beneficial effects on health, although behavioural changes in society over the past 60 years or so with regard to sun exposure are of considerable importance. The present report concentrates on information published since our previous report in 2007. The adverse effects of UV radiation are primarily on the eye and the skin. While solar UV radiation is a recognised risk factor for some types of cataract and for pterygium, the evidence is less strong, although increasing, for ocular melanoma, and is equivocal at present for age-related macular degeneration. For the skin, the most common harmful outcome is skin cancer, including melanoma and the non-melanoma skin cancers, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The incidence of all three of these tumours has risen significantly over the past five decades, particularly in people with fair skin, and is projected to continue to increase, thus posing a significant world-wide health burden. Overexposure to the sun is the major identified environmental risk factor in skin cancer, in association with various genetic risk factors and immune effects. Suppression of some aspects of immunity follows exposure to UV radiation and the consequences of this modulation for the immune control of infectious diseases, for vaccination and for tumours, are additional concerns. In a common sun allergy (polymorphic light eruption), there is an imbalance in the immune response to UV radiation, resulting in a sun-evoked rash. The major health benefit of exposure to solar UV-B radiation is the production of vitamin D. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in bone metabolism and is also implicated in protection against a wide range of diseases. Although there is some evidence supporting protective effects

Quantitative characterization of the Antarctic ozone hole

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ito, T.; Sakoda, Y.; Matsubara, K.; Takao, T.; Akagi, K.; Watanabe, Y.; Shibata, S.; Naganuma, H.

1994-01-01

The long-term evolution of the Antarctic ozone hole is studied based on the TOMS data and the JMA data-set of stratospheric temperature in relation with the possible role of polar stratospheric clouds (PSC's). The effective mass of depleted ozone in the ozone hole at its annual mature stage reached a historical maximum of 55 Mt in 1991, 4.3 times larger than in 1981. The ozone depletion rate during 30 days before the mature ozone hole does not show any appreciable long-term trend but the interannual fluctuations do, ranging from 0.169 to 0.689 Mt/day with the average of 0.419 Mt/day for the period of 1979 - 1991. The depleted ozone mass has the highest correlation with the region below 195 K on the 30 mb surface in June, whereas the ozone depletion rate correlates most strongly with that in August. The present result strongly suggests that the long-term evolution of the mature ozone hole is caused both by the interannual change of the latitudinal coverage of the early PSC's, which may control the latitude and date of initiation of ozone decrease, and by that of the spatial coverage of the mature PSC's which may control the ozone depletion rate in the Antarctic spring.

Observational evidence of planetary wave influences on ozone enhancements over upper troposphere North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mengistu Tsidu, Gizaw; Ture, Kassahun; Sivakumar, V.

2013-07-01

location of observation. The positive PV anomalies upstream or at the observation region bring ozone rich airmass to the region while a negative PV anomaly upstream does the opposite. The position of the anomalies with time changes in accordance with the period of the waves involved. The snap shot of coherent variation of PV and ozone at different time during half cycle of the 5.8-day period has indicated that a region could experience positive (enhancement) or negative (depletion) ozone anomalies of different degree as the wave propagates eastward.

Low Ozone over Europe Doesn't Mean the Sky Is Falling, Its Actually Rising

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strahan, Susan; Newman, Paul; Steenrod, Stephen

2016-01-01

Data Sources: NASA Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) (O3 profiles and columns), NASA Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) Chemistry and Transport Model (calculated O3depletion), and MERRA Tropopause Heights. Technical Description of Figures: The left graphics show MLS northern hemisphere stratospheric column ozone on Feb. 1, 2016. Very low columns are seen over the UK and Europe (<225 DU, inside dashed circle). The lower graphic shows the GMI-calculated O3 depletion. It's very small, suggesting the low O3 does not indicate significant depletion. The right graphics show how the high tropopause height in this region explains the observed low ozone. The lower panel shows that the high tropopause on Feb. 1 lifts the O3 profile compared to a typical profile found earlier in winter. This motion lifts the profile to lower pressures thus reducing the total column. The GMI Model shows only 4 Dobson Units (DU) of O3 depletion even though the column is more than 100 DU lower than one month earlier. Scientific significant and societal relevance: To quantitatively understand anthropogenic impacts to the stratospheric ozone layer, we must be able to distinguish between low ozone caused by ozone depleting substances and that caused by natural dynamical variability in the atmosphere. Observations and realistic simulations of atmospheric composition are both required in order to separate natural and anthropogenic ozone variability.

United Kingdom Deriving Emissions linked to Climate Change Network: greenhouse gas and ozone depleting substance measurements from a UK network of tall towers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, Kieran; O'Doherty, Simon; Young, Dickon; Grant, Aoife; Manning, Alistair; Simmonds, Peter; Oram, Dave; Sturges, Bill; Derwent, Richard

2016-04-01

Real-time, high-frequency measurement networks are essential for investigating the emissions of gases linked with climate change and stratospheric ozone depletion. These networks can be used to verify greenhouse gas (GHG) and ozone depleting substances (ODS) emission inventories for the Kyoto and Montreal Protocols. Providing accurate and reliable country- and region-specific emissions to the atmosphere are critical for reporting to the UN agencies. The United Kingdom Deriving Emissions linked to Climate Change (UK DECC) Network, operating since 2012, is distinguished by its capability to measure at high-frequency, the influence of all of the important species in the Kyoto and Montreal Protocols from the UK, Ireland and Continental Europe. Data obtained from the UK DECC network are also fed into the European Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS). This presentation will give an overview of the UK DECC Network, detailing the analytical techniques used to determine the suite of GHGs and ODSs, as well as the calibration strategy used within the network. Interannual results of key GHGs from the network will also be presented.

40 CFR Appendix H to Subpart A of... - Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 Phaseout Schedule for Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances H Appendix H to Subpart A of Part 82... STRATOSPHERIC OZONE Production and Consumption Controls Pt. 82, Subpt. A, App. H Appendix H to Subpart A of Part...

Nocturnal Ozone Depletion Events at the Amphitrite Point Observatory on West Vancouver Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garner, N.; Brownsey, D. K.; Tokarek, T. W.; Ye, C. Z.; Yordanov, N. R.; Osthoff, H. D.; Schiller, C. L.; Vingarzan, R.

2015-12-01

Routine monitoring stations on the West coast of North America serve to monitor baseline levels of criteria pollutants such as ozone (O3) arriving from the Pacific Ocean. In Canada, the Amphitrite Point Observatory (APO) in Ucluelet on the West coast of Vancouver Island has been added to this network to provide regional baseline measurements. Recently, McKendry and coworkers have reported frequent episodes of nocturnal O3 depletion events (ODEs) at APO (range: 5-20 ppbv) that generally correlate with alongshore winds, elevated levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), and low vertical entrainment but whose cause(s) has (have) remained unclear. In this work, results from the Ozone-depleting reactions in a coastal atmosphere (ORCA) campaign, which took place at APO from July 6 - 31, 2015, are presented. In addition to the long-term measurements that include aerosol size distribution and composition measurements, mixing ratios of speciated monoterpenes (e.g., α- and β-pinene, limonene), molecular halogens (i.e., Cl2, I2), halogen oxides (i.e., OIO), plus a full suite of nitrogen oxides (including N2O5, PAN, PPN, ΣPN, ΣAN, HNO3, HONO, and ClNO2) were quantified. Synoptic conditions at the site varied greatly between nights. During westerly flow of relatively clean marine air, O3 was generally conserved at night, indicating that deposition of O3 to the ocean surface is a minor loss pathway. When the air mass originated from other sectors, episodes of nocturnal ODEs were observed on several occasions, in which mixing ratios of biogenic VOCs were enhanced. These included air masses that originated from densely forested areas to the East, air masses polluted by marine traffic emissions from the southeast, and air masses from the NW that have traveled parallel to the coastline. In this sector, the air was likely in contact with terrestrial vegetation via land-sea breeze circulations. The results suggest that nocturnal ODEs at APO are mainly driven by local or regional processes

Mesospheric ionization and O2 1Delta(g) depletion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spear, K. A.; Solomon, S.

1987-01-01

Observations of O2 1Delta(g) emission during solar proton events reveal large depletions below 80 and near 90 km. The lower-altitude depletions are believed to be due to odd hydrogen production and associated depletion of ozone, but the mechanism producing the depletion near 90 km has not yet been established. In this paper, it is proposed that an exothermic charge exchange reaction between O2(+) and O2 1Delta(g) is likely to be responsible for these high-altitude depletions. In particular, it is shown that the vertical structure of the observed change in airglow emission is consistent with this mechanism.

Linkages Between Ozone-depleting Substances, Tropospheric Oxidation and Aerosols

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Voulgarakis, A.; Shindell, D. T.; Faluvegi, G.

2013-01-01

Coupling between the stratosphere and the troposphere allows changes in stratospheric ozone abundances to affect tropospheric chemistry. Large-scale effects from such changes on chemically produced tropospheric aerosols have not been systematically examined in past studies. We use a composition-climate model to investigate potential past and future impacts of changes in stratospheric ozone depleting substances (ODS) on tropospheric oxidants and sulfate aerosols. In most experiments, we find significant responses in tropospheric photolysis and oxidants, with small but significant effects on methane radiative forcing. The response of sulfate aerosols is sizeable when examining the effect of increasing future nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. We also find that without the regulation of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) through the Montreal Protocol, sulfate aerosols could have increased by 2050 by a comparable amount to the decreases predicted due to relatively stringent sulfur emissions controls. The individual historical radiative forcings of CFCs and N2O through their indirect effects on methane (-22.6mW/sq. m for CFCs and -6.7mW/sq. m for N2O) and sulfate aerosols (-3.0mW/sq. m for CFCs and +6.5mW/sq. m for N2O when considering the direct aerosol effect) discussed here are non-negligible when compared to known historical ODS forcing. Our results stress the importance of accounting for stratosphere-troposphere, gas-aerosol and composition-climate interactions when investigating the effects of changing emissions on atmospheric composition and climate.

Ozone, Climate, and Global Atmospheric Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levine, Joel S.

1992-01-01

Presents an overview of global atmospheric problems relating to ozone depletion and global warming. Provides background information on the composition of the earth's atmosphere and origin of atmospheric ozone. Describes causes, effects, and evidence of ozone depletion and the greenhouse effect. A vignette provides a summary of a 1991 assessment of…

Observing and Understanding Tropospheric Ozone Changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Logan, Jennifer; Schultz, Martin; Oltmans, Samuel

2010-03-01

Tropospheric Ozone Changes Workshop; Boulder, Colorado, 14-16 October 2009; Prompted by the lack of consensus on, and the need to assess current understanding of, long-term changes in tropospheric ozone, a workshop was held in Colorado to (1) evaluate the consistency of data records; (2) assess robust long-term changes; (3) determine how to combine observations and model studies; and (4) define research and observation needs for the future. At the workshop, long-term ozone records from regionally representative surface and mountain sites, ozonesondes, and aircraft were reviewed by region. In western Europe there are several time series of ˜15-40 years from all platforms. Overall, they show a rise in ozone into the middle to late 1990s and a leveling off, or in some cases declines, in the 2000s, in general agreement with precursor emission changes. However, significant differences in detail in the time series from nearby locations provide less confidence in changes before the late 1990s.

Southern America stratospheric ozone variation during the last decade (1996-2005)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imai, T.; Martin, I.; Iha, K.; Souza, S.

Stratospheric ozone variation in the last decade reveals important dynamics of environmental areas in Brazil possible to be correlated with natural disasters like droughts in the Amazon region and the first hurricane observed in Santa Catarina at sea temperatures bellow 22 r C in South America A team of 74 ozone specialists lead by Prof Fahey from 1965 to 2001 elaborated a very well known graphic The graphic shows that the global ozone remained constant from 1965 to 1980 with 3 000 megatons of Global Ozone when it started to quickly decline in approximately 3 or 80 megatons per year In 2001 more than 50 of the ozone was depleted IPCC specialists recognize the ozone depletion of Fahey studies in the IPCC 2001 8-1 decision the Climate Change and the Ozone Depletion In 2002 Fahey s works went through a deep methodological conference being approved by 44 more specialists in Atmospheric Chemistry in Les Diabretes Switzerland The ozone hole after 1985 reached about 27 millions km 2 or 5 of the surface of the Planet and there practically all the stratospheric ozone annually disappeared in the beginning of October Projecting these figures until 2005 we reached 70 when Katrina Hurricane and Amazons River drought happens and in 2015 the depletion will reach 100 But between 2003 and 2005 the IPCC using the same graphic and exchanging the annual loss of ozone quota for deviation specialist starts saying that the problem will be solved in 2050 That the biggest deviation of --5 was in 1993

Analysis of 1970-1995 Trends in Tropospheric Ozone at Northern Hemisphere Midlatitudes with the GEOS-CHEM Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fusco, Andrew C.; Logan, Jennifer A.

2004-01-01

I ] The causes of trends in tropospheric ozone at Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes from 1970 to 1995 are investigated with the GEOS-CHEM model, a global three-dimensional model of the troposphere driven by assimilated meteorological observations from the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS). This model is used to investigate the sensitivity of tropospheric ozone with respect to (1) changes in the anthropogenic emission of nitrogen oxides and nonmethane hydrocarbons, (2) increases in methane concentrations, (3) variations in the stratospheric source of ozone, (4) changes in solar radiation resulting from stratospheric ozone depletion, and ( 5 ) increases in tropospheric temperatures. Model results indicate that local increases in NO, emissions have caused most of the increases seen in lower tropospheric ozone over Europe and Japan. Increases in methane are responsible for roughly one fifth of the anthropogenically induced increase in tropospheric ozone at northern midlatitudes. However, changes in ozone precursors do not adequately explain either the spatial differences in observed ozone trends across midlatitudes or the observed decreases in ozone over Canada throughout the troposphere. We argue that ozone depletion in the lowermost stratosphere is likely to have reduced the stratospheric source by as much as 30% from the early 1970s to the mid 1990s. Model simulations that account for such a reduction along with reported changes in anthropogenic emissions show steep declines of ozone in the upper troposphere and variable increases in the lower troposphere that are more consistent with observations. Differential temperature trends in summer between North America and Europe may account for at least some of the remaining spatial variation in tropospheric ozone trends. Increases in ultraviolet (UV) radiation due to stratospheric ozone depletion do not appear to significantly reduce tropospheric ozone, except at midlatitudes in the Southern Hemisphere following the

OZONE PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY AND NOX DEPLETION IN AN URBAN PLUME: INTERPRETATION OF FIELD OBSERVATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR EVALUATING O3-NOX-VOC SENSITIVITY

EPA Science Inventory

Ozone production efficiency (OPE) can be defined as the number of ozone (O3) molecules photochemically produced by a molecule of NOx (NO + NO2) before it is lost from the NOx - O3 cycle. Here, we consider observational and modeling techniques to evaluate various operational defi...

Reconciliation of Halogen-Induced Ozone Loss with the Total-Column Ozone Record

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, T. G.; Plummer, D. A.; Scinocca, J. F.; Hegglin, M. I.; Fioletov, V. E.; Reader, M. C.; Remsberg, E.; von Clarmann, T.; Wang, H. J.

2014-01-01

The observed depletion of the ozone layer from the 1980s onwards is attributed to halogen source gases emitted by human activities. However, the precision of this attribution is complicated by year-to-year variations in meteorology, that is, dynamical variability, and by changes in tropospheric ozone concentrations. As such, key aspects of the total-column ozone record, which combines changes in both tropospheric and stratospheric ozone, remain unexplained, such as the apparent absence of a decline in total-column ozone levels before 1980, and of any long-term decline in total-column ozone levels in the tropics. Here we use a chemistry-climate model to estimate changes in halogen-induced ozone loss between 1960 and 2010; the model is constrained by observed meteorology to remove the eects of dynamical variability, and driven by emissions of tropospheric ozone precursors to separate out changes in tropospheric ozone. We show that halogen-induced ozone loss closely followed stratospheric halogen loading over the studied period. Pronounced enhancements in ozone loss were apparent in both hemispheres following the volcanic eruptions of El Chichon and, in particular, Mount Pinatubo, which significantly enhanced stratospheric aerosol loads. We further show that approximately 40% of the long-term non-volcanic ozone loss occurred before 1980, and that long-term ozone loss also occurred in the tropical stratosphere. Finally, we show that halogeninduced ozone loss has declined by over 10% since stratospheric halogen loading peaked in the late 1990s, indicating that the recovery of the ozone layer is well underway.

Global ozone observations from the UARS MLS: An overview of zonal-mean results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Froidevaux, Lucien; Waters, Joe W.; Read, William G.; Elson, Lee S.; Flower, Dennis A.; Jarnot, Robert F.

1994-01-01

Global ozone observations from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) aboard the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) are presented, in both vertically resolved and column abundance formats. The authors review the zonal-mean ozone variations measured over the two and a half years since launch in September 1991. Well-known features such as the annual and semiannual variations are ubiquitous. In the equatorial regions, longer-term changes are believed to be related to the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), with a strong semiannual signal above 20 hPa. Ozone values near 50 hPa exhibit an equatorial low from October 1991 to June 1992, after which the low ozone pattern splits into two subtropical lows (possibly in connection with residual circulation changes tied to the QBO) and returns to an equatorial low in September 1993. The ozone hole development at high southern latitudes is apparent in MLS column data integrated down to 100 hPa, the MLS data reinforce current knowledge of this lower-stratospheric phenomenon by providing a height-dependent view of the variations. The region from 30 deg S to 30 deg N (an area equal to half the global area) shows very little change in the ozone column from year to year and within each year. The most striking ozone changes have occurred at northern midlatitudes, with the October 1992 to July 1993 column values significantly lower than during the prior year. The zonal-mean changes manifest themselves as a slower rate of increase during the 1992/93 winter, and there is some evidence for a lower fall minimum. A recovery occurs during late summer of 1993; early 1994 values are significantly larger than during the two previous winters. The timing and latitudinal extent of the northern midlatitude decreases appear to rule out observed ClO enhancements in the Arctic vortex, with related chemical processing and ozone dilution effects, as a unique cause. Local depletion from ClO-related chemical mechanisms alone is also not sufficient, based

Asymmetries in ozone depressions between the polar stratospheres following a solar proton event

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maeda, K.; Heath, D. F.

1978-01-01

Ozone depletions in the polar stratosphere during the energetic solar proton event on 4 August 1972 were observed by the backscattered ultraviolet (BUV) experiments on the Nimbus 4 satellite. The observed ozone contents, the ozone depressions and their temporal variations above the 4 mb level exhibited distinct asymmetries between the northern and southern hemispheres. Since the ozone destroying solar particles precipitate rather symmetrically into the two polar atmospheres, due to the geomagnetic dipole field, it is suggested that these asymmetries may be explained in terms of the differences in dynamics between the summer and the winter polar atmospheres. In the summer (northern) hemisphere, the stratospheric and mesospheric ozone depletion and recovery are smooth functions of time due to the preponderance of undistributed orderly flow in this region. On the other hand, the temporal variation of the upper stratospheric ozone in the winter polar atmosphere (southern hemisphere) exhibits large amplitude irregularities. These characteristic differences between the two polar atmospheres are also evident in the vertical distributions of temperatures and winds observed by balloons and rocket soundings.

Climate Throughout Geologic Time Was Cooled by Sequences of Explosive Volcanic Eruptions Forming Aerosols That Reflect and Scatter Ultraviolet Solar Radiation and Warmed by Relatively Continuous Extrusion of Basaltic Lava that Depletes Ozone, Allowing More Solar Ultraviolet Radiation to Reach Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, P. L.

2015-12-01

Active volcanoes of all sizes and eruptive styles, emit chlorine and bromine gases observed to deplete ozone. Effusive, basaltic volcanic eruptions, typical in Hawaii and Iceland, extrude large lava flows, depleting ozone and causing global warming. Major explosive volcanoes also deplete ozone with the same emissions, causing winter warming, but in addition eject megatons of water and sulfur dioxide into the lower stratosphere where they form sulfuric-acid aerosols whose particles grow large enough to reflect and scatter ultraviolet sunlight, causing net global cooling for a few years. The relative amounts of explosive and effusive volcanism are determined by the configuration of tectonic plates moving around Earth's surface. Detailed studies of climate change throughout geologic history, and since 1965, are not well explained by greenhouse-gas theory, but are explained quite clearly at OzoneDepletionTheory.info. Ozone concentrations vary substantially by the minute and show close relationships to weather system highs and lows (as pointed out by Dobson in the 1920s), to the height of the tropopause, and to the strength and location of polar vortices and jet streams. Integrating the effects of volcanism on ozone concentrations and the effects of ozone concentrations on synoptic weather patterns should improve weather forecasting. For example, the volcano Bárðarbunga, in central Iceland, extruded 85 km2 of basaltic lava between August 29, 2014, and February 28, 2015, having a profound effect on weather. Most surprising, more than a week before the March 4 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010, substantial amounts of ozone were released in the vicinity of the volcano precisely when surface deformation showed that magma first began moving up from sills below 4 km depth. Ozone similarly appears to have been emitted 3.5 months before the Pinatubo eruption in 1991. Readily available daily maps of ozone concentrations may allow early warning of an imminent volcanic

Replacement of ozone depleting and toxic chemicals in gravimetric analysis of non-volatile residue

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnold, G. S.; Uht, J. C.; Sinsheimer, F. B.

1995-01-01

The standard tests for determining nonvolatile residue accretion on spacecraft surfaces and in clean processing facilities rely on the use of halogenated solvents that are targeted for elimination because of their toxic or ozone-depleting natures. This paper presents a literature-based screening survey for candidate replacement solvents. Potential replacements were evaluated for their vapor pressure, toxicity, and solvent properties. Three likely candidates were identified: ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, and acetone. Laboratory tests are presented that evaluate the suitability of these candidate replacement solvents.

Literature review of some selected types of results and statistical analyses of total-ozone data. [for the ozonosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, R. H.

1976-01-01

The depletion of ozone in the stratosphere is examined, and causes for the depletion are cited. Ground station and satellite measurements of ozone, which are taken on a worldwide basis, are discussed. Instruments used in ozone measurement are discussed, such as the Dobson spectrophotometer, which is credited with providing the longest and most extensive series of observations for ground based observation of stratospheric ozone. Other ground based instruments used to measure ozone are also discussed. The statistical differences of ground based measurements of ozone from these different instruments are compared to each other, and to satellite measurements. Mathematical methods (i.e., trend analysis or linear regression analysis) of analyzing the variability of ozone concentration with respect to time and lattitude are described. Various time series models which can be employed in accounting for ozone concentration variability are examined.

Kindergarten Teachers' Conceptual Framework on the Ozone Layer Depletion. Exploring the Associative Meanings of a Global Environmental Issue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daskolia, Maria; Flogaitis, Evgenia; Papageorgiou, Evgenia

2006-01-01

This paper reports on a study conducted among Greek kindergarten teachers aiming to explore their conceptual frameworks on a major environmental issue of our times: the ozone layer depletion. The choice of this particular issue was premised on its novelty, complexity and abstractness which present teachers with difficulties in its teaching. A free…

Ozone depletion, greenhouse gases, and climate change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mooney, Harold A.; Baker, D. James, Jr.; Bretherton, Francis P.; Burke, Kevin C.; Clark, William C.; Davis, Margaret B.; Dickinson, Robert E.; Imbrie, John; Malone, Thomas F.; Mcelroy, Michael B.

1989-01-01

This symposium was organized to study the unusual convergence of a number of observations, both short and long term that defy an integrated explanation. Of particular importance are surface temperature observations and observations of upper atmospheric temperatures, which have declined significantly in parts of the stratosphere. There has also been a dramatic decline in ozone concentration over Antarctica that was not predicted. Significant changes in precipitation that seem to be latitude dependent have occurred. There has been a threefold increase in methane in the last 100 years; this is a problem because a source does not appear to exist for methane of the right isotopic composition to explain the increase. These and other meteorological global climate changes are examined in detail.

What would have happened to the ozone layer if chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) had not been regulated?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oman, L.; Newman, P. A.; Douglass, A. R.; Fleming, E. L.; Frith, S. M.; Hurwitz, M.; Kawa, S. R.; Jackman, C. H.; Krotkov, N. A.; Nash, E. R.; Nielsen, J. E.; Pawson, S.; Stolarski, R. S.; Velders, G. J.

2010-12-01

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was negotiated in 1987 and by 2010 had been signed by all of the nations of the world. In this presentation we use a fully coupled radiation-chemical-dynamical model to simulate a future world where ozone depletion substances (ODSs) were never regulated. In this “world avoided” simulation, ODS levels increase by 3% per year. From 1980 to 2020 we find that 17% of the globally average column ozone is destroyed, and from 1980 to 2065 67% is destroyed. Severe polar depletions (e.g., the Antarctic ozone hole) become year-round rather than just seasonal. Ozone levels in the tropical lower stratosphere remain constant until about 2053 and then collapse to near zero by 2058 as a result of heterogeneous chemical processes (as currently observed in the Antarctic ozone hole). The tropical cooling that triggers the ozone collapse is caused by an increase of the tropical lower stratospheric upwelling. In response to ozone changes, ultraviolet (UV) radiation increases, tripling the erythemal (sunburn) radiation in the northern summer mid-latitudes by 2065.

SMM mesospheric ozone measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aikin, A. C.

1990-01-01

The main objective was to understand the secular and seasonal behavior of ozone in the lower mesosphere, 50 to 70 km. This altitude region is important in understanding the factors which determine ozone behavior. A secondary objective is the study of stratospheric ozone in the polar regions. Use is made of results from the SBUV satellite borne instrument. In the Arctic the interaction between chlorine compounds and low molecular weight hydrocarbons is studied. More than 30,000 profiles were obtained using the UVSP instrument on the SMM spacecraft. Several orbits of ozone data per day were obtained allowing study of the current rise in solar activity from the minimum until the present. Analysis of Nimbus 7 SBUV data in Antarctic spring indicates that ozone is depleted within the polar vortex relative to ozone outside the vortex. This depletion confirms the picture of ozone loss at altitudes where polar stratospheric clouds exist. In addition, there is ozone loss above the cloud level indicating that there is another mechanism in addition to ozone loss initiated by heterogeneous chlorine reactions on cloud particles.

Observing Tropospheric Ozone From Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fishman, Jack

2000-01-01

The importance of tropospheric ozone embraces a spectrum of relevant scientific issues ranging from local environmental concerns, such as damage to the biosphere and human health, to those that impact global change questions, Such is climate warming. From an observational perspective, the challenge is to determine the tropospheric ozone global distribution. Because its lifetime is short compared with other important greenhouse gases that have been monitored over the past several decades, the distribution of tropospheric ozone cannot be inferred from a relatively small set of monitoring stations. Therefore, the best way to obtain a true global picture is from the use of space-based instrumentation where important spatial gradients over vast ocean expanses and other uninhabited areas can be properly characterized. In this paper, the development of the capability to measure tropospheric ozone from space over the past 15 years is summarized. Research in the late 1980s successfully led to the determination of the climatology of tropospheric ozone as a function of season; more recently, the methodology has improved to the extent where regional air pollution episodes can be characterized. The most recent modifications now provide quasi-global (50 N) to 50 S) maps on a daily basis. Such a data set would allow for the study of long-range (intercontinental) transport of air pollution and the quantification of how regional emissions feed into the global tropospheric ozone budget. Future measurement capabilities within this decade promise to offer the ability to provide Concurrent maps of the precursors to the in situ formation of tropospheric ozone from which the scientific community will gain unprecedented insight into the processes that control global tropospheric chemistry

Quantifying Chemical Ozone Loss in the Arctic Stratosphere with GEOS-STRATCHEM Data Assimilation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wargan, K.; Nielsen, J. E.

2017-01-01

A faithful representation of polar stratospheric chemistry in models and its connection with dynamical variability is essential for our understanding of the evolution of the ozone layer in a changing climate and during the projected continuing decline of ozone depleting substances in the atmosphere. We use a new configuration of the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System with a stratospheric chemistry model to study ozone depletion in the Arctic polar stratosphere during the exceptionally cold (in the stratosphere) winters 2015/2016 and 2010/2011.

Atmospheric chemistry of short-chain haloolefins: photochemical ozone creation potentials (POCPs), global warming potentials (GWPs), and ozone depletion potentials (ODPs).

PubMed

Wallington, T J; Sulbaek Andersen, M P; Nielsen, O J

2015-06-01

Short-chain haloolefins are being introduced as replacements for saturated halocarbons. The unifying chemical feature of haloolefins is the presence of a CC double bond which causes the atmospheric lifetimes to be significantly shorter than for the analogous saturated compounds. We discuss the atmospheric lifetimes, photochemical ozone creation potentials (POCPs), global warming potentials (GWPs), and ozone depletion potentials (ODPs) of haloolefins. The commercially relevant short-chain haloolefins CF3CFCH2 (1234yf), trans-CF3CHCHF (1234ze(Z)), CF3CFCF2 (1216), cis-CF3CHCHCl (1233zd(Z)), and trans-CF3CHCHCl (1233zd(E)) have short atmospheric lifetimes (days to weeks), negligible POCPs, negligible GWPs, and ODPs which do not differ materially from zero. In the concentrations expected in the environment their atmospheric degradation products will have a negligible impact on ecosystems. CF3CFCH2 (1234yf), trans-CF3CHCHF (1234ze(Z)), CF3CFCF2 (1216), cis-CF3CHCHCl (1233zd(Z)), and trans-CF3CHCHCl (1233zd(E)) are environmentally acceptable. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mortality tradeoff between air quality and skin cancer from changes in stratospheric ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eastham, Sebastian D.; Keith, David W.; Barrett, Steven R. H.

2018-03-01

Skin cancer mortality resulting from stratospheric ozone depletion has been widely studied. Similarly, there is a deep body of literature on surface ozone and its health impacts, with modeling and observational studies demonstrating that surface ozone concentrations can be increased when stratospheric air mixes to the Earth’s surface. We offer the first quantitative estimate of the trade-off between these two effects, comparing surface air quality benefits and UV-related harms from stratospheric ozone depletion. Applying an idealized ozone loss term in the stratosphere of a chemistry-transport model for modern-day conditions, we find that each Dobson unit of stratospheric ozone depletion results in a net decrease in the global annual mortality rate of ~40 premature deaths per billion population (d/bn/DU). The impacts are spatially heterogeneous in sign and magnitude, composed of a reduction in premature mortality rate due to ozone exposure of ~80 d/bn/DU concentrated in Southeast Asia, and an increase in skin cancer mortality rate of ~40 d/bn/DU, mostly in Western Europe. This is the first study to quantify air quality benefits of stratospheric ozone depletion, and the first to find that marginal decreases in stratospheric ozone around modern-day values could result in a net reduction in global mortality due to competing health impact pathways. This result, which is subject to significant methodological uncertainty, highlights the need to understand the health and environmental trade-offs involved in policy decisions regarding anthropogenic influences on ozone chemistry over the 21st century.

An observational study of the ozone dilution effect: Ozone transport in the austral spring stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkinson, Roger J.; Plumb, R. Alan

1994-01-01

In a previous observational analysis, Atkinson et al (1989) ascribed a sudden decrease in Southern Hemisphere midlatitude total ozone during December 1987 to an 'ozone dilution effect' brought about by the breakup of the polar stratospheric vortex at that time. A question alluded to but unanswered by that study was the degree to which the observed total ozone decrease might have been caused by the quasi-horizontal equatorward transport of 'ozone hold' air from within the vortex, and to what degree by the vertical advection from lower levels of air naturally low in ozone, a dynamical adjustment process which must accompany the equatorward outbreak of a discrete high-latitude airmass. In the present study, analyses of Ertel potential vorticity, TOMS total ozone, and SAGE and ozone sonde vertical profile data are employed using a novel technique to examine the 1987 event in greater detail, to answer this question. Recent progress is then reported in refining the technique and extending the investigation to examine the dynamical evolution of the austral spring stratosphere during other recent years, to shed more light on the precise nature, frequency, and severity of such 'ozone dilution' events, and the effect that this process may have on long term ozone behavior in the Southern Hemisphere.

Synchronous volcanic eruptions and abrupt climate change ∼17.7 ka plausibly linked by stratospheric ozone depletion

PubMed Central

McConnell, Joseph R.; Burke, Andrea; Dunbar, Nelia W.; Köhler, Peter; Thomas, Jennie L.; Chellman, Nathan J.; Maselli, Olivia J.; Sigl, Michael; Adkins, Jess F.; Baggenstos, Daniel; Burkhart, John F.; Brook, Edward J.; Buizert, Christo; Cole-Dai, Jihong; Fudge, T. J.; Knorr, Gregor; Graf, Hans-F.; Grieman, Mackenzie M.; Iverson, Nels; McGwire, Kenneth C.; Mulvaney, Robert; Paris, Guillaume; Rhodes, Rachael H.; Saltzman, Eric S.; Steffensen, Jørgen Peder; Taylor, Kendrick C.; Winckler, Gisela

2017-01-01

Glacial-state greenhouse gas concentrations and Southern Hemisphere climate conditions persisted until ∼17.7 ka, when a nearly synchronous acceleration in deglaciation was recorded in paleoclimate proxies in large parts of the Southern Hemisphere, with many changes ascribed to a sudden poleward shift in the Southern Hemisphere westerlies and subsequent climate impacts. We used high-resolution chemical measurements in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide, Byrd, and other ice cores to document a unique, ∼192-y series of halogen-rich volcanic eruptions exactly at the start of accelerated deglaciation, with tephra identifying the nearby Mount Takahe volcano as the source. Extensive fallout from these massive eruptions has been found >2,800 km from Mount Takahe. Sulfur isotope anomalies and marked decreases in ice core bromine consistent with increased surface UV radiation indicate that the eruptions led to stratospheric ozone depletion. Rather than a highly improbable coincidence, circulation and climate changes extending from the Antarctic Peninsula to the subtropics—similar to those associated with modern stratospheric ozone depletion over Antarctica—plausibly link the Mount Takahe eruptions to the onset of accelerated Southern Hemisphere deglaciation ∼17.7 ka. PMID:28874529

Synchronous volcanic eruptions and abrupt climate change ∼17.7 ka plausibly linked by stratospheric ozone depletion.

PubMed

McConnell, Joseph R; Burke, Andrea; Dunbar, Nelia W; Köhler, Peter; Thomas, Jennie L; Arienzo, Monica M; Chellman, Nathan J; Maselli, Olivia J; Sigl, Michael; Adkins, Jess F; Baggenstos, Daniel; Burkhart, John F; Brook, Edward J; Buizert, Christo; Cole-Dai, Jihong; Fudge, T J; Knorr, Gregor; Graf, Hans-F; Grieman, Mackenzie M; Iverson, Nels; McGwire, Kenneth C; Mulvaney, Robert; Paris, Guillaume; Rhodes, Rachael H; Saltzman, Eric S; Severinghaus, Jeffrey P; Steffensen, Jørgen Peder; Taylor, Kendrick C; Winckler, Gisela

2017-09-19

Glacial-state greenhouse gas concentrations and Southern Hemisphere climate conditions persisted until ∼17.7 ka, when a nearly synchronous acceleration in deglaciation was recorded in paleoclimate proxies in large parts of the Southern Hemisphere, with many changes ascribed to a sudden poleward shift in the Southern Hemisphere westerlies and subsequent climate impacts. We used high-resolution chemical measurements in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide, Byrd, and other ice cores to document a unique, ∼192-y series of halogen-rich volcanic eruptions exactly at the start of accelerated deglaciation, with tephra identifying the nearby Mount Takahe volcano as the source. Extensive fallout from these massive eruptions has been found >2,800 km from Mount Takahe. Sulfur isotope anomalies and marked decreases in ice core bromine consistent with increased surface UV radiation indicate that the eruptions led to stratospheric ozone depletion. Rather than a highly improbable coincidence, circulation and climate changes extending from the Antarctic Peninsula to the subtropics-similar to those associated with modern stratospheric ozone depletion over Antarctica-plausibly link the Mount Takahe eruptions to the onset of accelerated Southern Hemisphere deglaciation ∼17.7 ka.

Tropical behavior of mesospheric ozone as observed by SMM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aikin, A. C.; Kendig, D. J.

1992-01-01

The seasonal behavior of low latitude mesospheric ozone, as observed by the SMM satellite solar occultation experiment, is detailed for the 1985-1989 period. Annual as well as semi-annual waves are observed in the 50-70 km altitude region. In the latitude range of +/- 30 deg the ozone phase and amplitude are functions of temperature and seasonal changes in solar flux. Temperature is the controlling factor for the equatorial region and seasonal changes in solar flux become more dominant at latitudes outside the equatorial zone (greater than +/- 15 deg). There is a hemispheric asymmetry in the ozone annual wave in the 20-30 deg region, with Northern Hemispheric ozone having a larger amplitude than Southern Hemispheric ozone.

Emergence of healing in the Antarctic ozone layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solomon, Susan; Ivy, Diane J.; Kinnison, Doug; Mills, Michael J.; Neely, Ryan R.; Schmidt, Anja

2016-07-01

Industrial chlorofluorocarbons that cause ozone depletion have been phased out under the Montreal Protocol. A chemically driven increase in polar ozone (or “healing”) is expected in response to this historic agreement. Observations and model calculations together indicate that healing of the Antarctic ozone layer has now begun to occur during the month of September. Fingerprints of September healing since 2000 include (i) increases in ozone column amounts, (ii) changes in the vertical profile of ozone concentration, and (iii) decreases in the areal extent of the ozone hole. Along with chemistry, dynamical and temperature changes have contributed to the healing but could represent feedbacks to chemistry. Volcanic eruptions have episodically interfered with healing, particularly during 2015, when a record October ozone hole occurred after the Calbuco eruption.

Interactive Ozone and Methane Chemistry in GISS-E2 Historical and Future Climate Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shindell, D. T.; Pechony, O.; Voulgarakis, A.; Faluvegi, G.; Nazarenko. L.; Lamarque, J.-F.; Bowman, K.; Milly, G.; Kovari, B.; Ruedy, R.;

Quantifying the ozone and ultraviolet benefits already achieved by the Montreal Protocol.

PubMed

Chipperfield, M P; Dhomse, S S; Feng, W; McKenzie, R L; Velders, G J M; Pyle, J A

2015-05-26

Chlorine- and bromine-containing ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) are controlled by the 1987 Montreal Protocol. In consequence, atmospheric equivalent chlorine peaked in 1993 and has been declining slowly since then. Consistent with this, models project a gradual increase in stratospheric ozone with the Antarctic ozone hole expected to disappear by ∼2050. However, we show that by 2013 the Montreal Protocol had already achieved significant benefits for the ozone layer. Using a 3D atmospheric chemistry transport model, we demonstrate that much larger ozone depletion than observed has been avoided by the protocol, with beneficial impacts on surface ultraviolet. A deep Arctic ozone hole, with column values <120 DU, would have occurred given meteorological conditions in 2011. The Antarctic ozone hole would have grown in size by 40% by 2013, with enhanced loss at subpolar latitudes. The decline over northern hemisphere middle latitudes would have continued, more than doubling to ∼15% by 2013.

Quantifying the ozone and ultraviolet benefits already achieved by the Montreal Protocol

PubMed Central

Chipperfield, M. P.; Dhomse, S. S.; Feng, W.; McKenzie, R. L.; Velders, G.J.M.; Pyle, J. A.

2015-01-01

Chlorine- and bromine-containing ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) are controlled by the 1987 Montreal Protocol. In consequence, atmospheric equivalent chlorine peaked in 1993 and has been declining slowly since then. Consistent with this, models project a gradual increase in stratospheric ozone with the Antarctic ozone hole expected to disappear by ∼2050. However, we show that by 2013 the Montreal Protocol had already achieved significant benefits for the ozone layer. Using a 3D atmospheric chemistry transport model, we demonstrate that much larger ozone depletion than observed has been avoided by the protocol, with beneficial impacts on surface ultraviolet. A deep Arctic ozone hole, with column values <120 DU, would have occurred given meteorological conditions in 2011. The Antarctic ozone hole would have grown in size by 40% by 2013, with enhanced loss at subpolar latitudes. The decline over northern hemisphere middle latitudes would have continued, more than doubling to ∼15% by 2013. PMID:26011106

Quantifying the ozone and ultraviolet benefits already achieved by the Montreal Protocol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chipperfield, M. P.; Dhomse, S. S.; Feng, W.; McKenzie, R. L.; Velders, G. J. M.; Pyle, J. A.

2015-05-01

Chlorine- and bromine-containing ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) are controlled by the 1987 Montreal Protocol. In consequence, atmospheric equivalent chlorine peaked in 1993 and has been declining slowly since then. Consistent with this, models project a gradual increase in stratospheric ozone with the Antarctic ozone hole expected to disappear by ~2050. However, we show that by 2013 the Montreal Protocol had already achieved significant benefits for the ozone layer. Using a 3D atmospheric chemistry transport model, we demonstrate that much larger ozone depletion than observed has been avoided by the protocol, with beneficial impacts on surface ultraviolet. A deep Arctic ozone hole, with column values <120 DU, would have occurred given meteorological conditions in 2011. The Antarctic ozone hole would have grown in size by 40% by 2013, with enhanced loss at subpolar latitudes. The decline over northern hemisphere middle latitudes would have continued, more than doubling to ~15% by 2013.

Detecting recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer.

PubMed

Chipperfield, Martyn P; Bekki, Slimane; Dhomse, Sandip; Harris, Neil R P; Hassler, Birgit; Hossaini, Ryan; Steinbrecht, Wolfgang; Thiéblemont, Rémi; Weber, Mark

2017-09-13

As a result of the 1987 Montreal Protocol and its amendments, the atmospheric loading of anthropogenic ozone-depleting substances is decreasing. Accordingly, the stratospheric ozone layer is expected to recover. However, short data records and atmospheric variability confound the search for early signs of recovery, and climate change is masking ozone recovery from ozone-depleting substances in some regions and will increasingly affect the extent of recovery. Here we discuss the nature and timescales of ozone recovery, and explore the extent to which it can be currently detected in different atmospheric regions.

Detecting recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chipperfield, Martyn P.; Bekki, Slimane; Dhomse, Sandip; Harris, Neil R. P.; Hassler, Birgit; Hossaini, Ryan; Steinbrecht, Wolfgang; Thiéblemont, Rémi; Weber, Mark

2017-09-01

As a result of the 1987 Montreal Protocol and its amendments, the atmospheric loading of anthropogenic ozone-depleting substances is decreasing. Accordingly, the stratospheric ozone layer is expected to recover. However, short data records and atmospheric variability confound the search for early signs of recovery, and climate change is masking ozone recovery from ozone-depleting substances in some regions and will increasingly affect the extent of recovery. Here we discuss the nature and timescales of ozone recovery, and explore the extent to which it can be currently detected in different atmospheric regions.

The World Already Avoided: Quantifying the Ozone Benefits Achieved by the Montreal Protocol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chipperfield, Martyn; Dhomse, Sandip; Feng, Wuhu; McKenzie, Richard; Velders, Guus; Pyle, John

2015-04-01

Chlorine and bromine-containing ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) are controlled by the 1987 Montreal Protocol. In consequence, atmospheric equivalent chlorine peaked in 1993 and has been declining slowly since then. Consistent with this, models project a gradual increase in stratospheric ozone with the Antarctic Ozone Hole expected to disappear by ~2050. However, we show that by 2014 the Montreal Protocol has already achieved significant benefits for the ozone layer. Using an off-line 3-D atmospheric chemistry model, we demonstrate that much larger ozone depletion than observed has been avoided by the protocol, with benefits for surface UV and climate. A deep Arctic Ozone Hole, with column values <120 DU, would have occurred given the meteorological conditions in 2011. The Antarctic Ozone Hole would have grown in size by 40% by 2013, with enhanced loss at subpolar latitudes. The ozone decline over northern hemisphere middle latitudes would have continued, more than doubling to ~15% by 2013.

Stratospheric ozone - Fragile shield. [SST exhausts and Freons impact

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffert, M. I.; Stewart, R. W.

1975-01-01

Atmospheric models that have been used in major studies on the possible impact of SST exhausts and Freons on stratospheric ozone are discussed and compared. An overview is given of ozone-reduction estimates that they produce, together with an assessment of possible effects of atmospheric testing of thermonuclear bombs in an attempt to find direct observational evidence for ozone depletion resulting from human activities. It is concluded that clear validation of atmospheric-model predictions is lacking.

The characteristics of tropospheric ozone seasonality observed from ozone soundings at Pohang, Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Jae H; Lee, H J; Lee, S H

2006-07-01

This paper presents the first analysis of vertical ozone sounding measurements over Pohang, Korea. The main focus is to analyze the seasonal variation of vertical ozone profiles and determine the mechanisms controlling ozone seasonality. The maxima ozone at the surface and in the free troposphere are observed in May and June, respectively. In comparison with the ozone seasonality at Oki (near sea level) and Happo (altitude of 1840 m) in Japan, which are located at the same latitude as of Pohang, we have found that the time of the ozone maximum at the Japanese sites is always a month earlier than at Pohang. Analysis of the wind flow at the surface shows that the wind shifts from westerly to southerly in May over Japan, but in June over Pohang. However, this wind shift above boundary layer occurs a month later. This wind shift results in significantly smaller amounts of ozone because the southerly wind brings clean wet tropical air. It has been suggested that the spring ozone maximum in the lower troposphere is due to polluted air transported from China. However, an enhanced ozone amount over the free troposphere in June appears to have a different origin. A tongue-like structure in the time-height cross-section of ozone concentrations, which starts from the stratosphere and extends to the middle troposphere, suggests that the ozone enhancement occurs due to a gradual migration of ozone from the stratosphere. The high frequency of dry air with elevated ozone concentrations in the upper troposphere in June suggests that the air is transported from the stratosphere. HYSPLIT trajectory analysis supports the hypothesis that enhanced ozone in the free troposphere is not likely due to transport from sources of anthropogenic activity.

Other EPA Initiatives to Protect the Ozone Layer

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Access information on EPA's efforts to address ozone layer depletion through voluntary partnerships with the private sector and activities aimed at educating the public about the health effects of ozone layer depletion.

The signs of Antarctic ozone hole recovery.

PubMed

Kuttippurath, Jayanarayanan; Nair, Prijitha J

2017-04-03

Absorption of solar radiation by stratospheric ozone affects atmospheric dynamics and chemistry, and sustains life on Earth by preventing harmful radiation from reaching the surface. Significant ozone losses due to increases in the abundances of ozone depleting substances (ODSs) were first observed in Antarctica in the 1980s. Losses deepened in following years but became nearly flat by around 2000, reflecting changes in global ODS emissions. Here we show robust evidence that Antarctic ozone has started to recover in both spring and summer, with a recovery signal identified in springtime ozone profile and total column measurements at 99% confidence for the first time. Continuing recovery is expected to impact the future climate of that region. Our results demonstrate that the Montreal Protocol has indeed begun to save the Antarctic ozone layer.

Ozone Trend Detectability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, J. W. (Editor)

1981-01-01

The detection of anthropogenic disturbances in the Earth's ozone layer was studied. Two topics were addressed: (1) the level at which a trend in total ozoning is detected by existing data sources; and (2) empirical evidence in the prediction of the depletion in total ozone. Error sources are identified. The predictability of climatological series, whether empirical models can be trusted, and how errors in the Dobson total ozone data impact trend detectability, are discussed.

When Will the Antarctic Ozone Hole Recover?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Paul A.; Nash, Eric R.; Kawa, S. Randolph; Montzka, Stephen A.; Schauffler, Sue

2006-01-01

The Antarctic ozone hole demonstrates large-scale, man-made affects on our atmosphere. Surface observations now show that human produced ozone depleting substances (ODSs) are declining. The ozone hole should soon start to diminish because of this decline. Herein we demonstrate an ozone hole parametric model. This model is based upon: 1) a new algorithm for estimating C1 and Br levels over Antarctica and 2) late-spring Antarctic stratospheric temperatures. This parametric model explains 95% of the ozone hole area s variance. We use future ODS levels to predict ozone hole recovery. Full recovery to 1980 levels will occur in approximately 2068. The ozone hole area will very slowly decline over the next 2 decades. Detection of a statistically significant decrease of area will not occur until approximately 2024. We further show that nominal Antarctic stratospheric greenhouse gas forced temperature change should have a small impact on the ozone hole.

Nitrous Oxides Ozone Destructiveness Under Different Climate Scenarios

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanter, David R.; McDermid, Sonali P.

2016-01-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an important greenhouse gas and ozone depleting substance as well as a key component of the nitrogen cascade. While emissions scenarios indicating the range of N2O's potential future contributions to radiative forcing are widely available, the impact of these emissions scenarios on future stratospheric ozone depletion is less clear. This is because N2O's ozone destructiveness is partially dependent on tropospheric warming, which affects ozone depletion rates in the stratosphere. Consequently, in order to understand the possible range of stratospheric ozone depletion that N2O could cause over the 21st century, it is important to decouple the greenhouse gas emissions scenarios and compare different emissions trajectories for individual substances (e.g. business-as-usual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions versus low emissions of N2O). This study is the first to follow such an approach, running a series of experiments using the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Sciences ModelE2 atmospheric sub-model. We anticipate our results to show that stratospheric ozone depletion will be highest in a scenario where CO2 emissions reductions are prioritized over N2O reductions, as this would constrain ozone recovery while doing little to limit stratospheric NOx levels (the breakdown product of N2O that destroys stratospheric ozone). This could not only delay the recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer, but might also prevent a return to pre-1980 global average ozone concentrations, a key goal of the international ozone regime. Accordingly, we think this will highlight the importance of reducing emissions of all major greenhouse gas emissions, including N2O, and not just a singular policy focus on CO2.

New methodology for Ozone Depletion Potentials of short-lived compounds: n-Propyl bromide as an example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wuebbles, Donald J.; Patten, Kenneth O.; Johnson, Matthew T.; Kotamarthi, Rao

2001-07-01

A number of the compounds proposed as replacements for substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol have extremely short atmospheric lifetimes, on the order of days to a few months. An important example is n-propyl bromide (also referred to as 1-bromopropane, CH2BrCH2CH3 or simplified as 1-C3H7Br or nPB). This compound, useful as a solvent, has an atmospheric lifetime of less than 20 days due to its reaction with hydroxyl. Because nPB contains bromine, any amount reaching the stratosphere has the potential to affect concentrations of stratospheric ozone. The definition of Ozone Depletion Potentials (ODP) needs to be modified for such short-lived compounds to account for the location and timing of emissions. It is not adequate to treat these chemicals as if they were uniformly emitted at all latitudes and longitudes as normally done for longer-lived gases. Thus, for short-lived compounds, policymakers will need a table of ODP values instead of the single value generally provided in past studies. This study uses the MOZART2 three-dimensional chemical-transport model in combination with studies with our less computationally expensive two-dimensional model to examine potential effects of nPB on stratospheric ozone. Multiple facets of this study examine key questions regarding the amount of bromine reaching the stratosphere following emission of nPB. Our most significant findings from this study for the purposes of short-lived replacement compound ozone effects are summarized as follows. The degradation of nPB produces a significant quantity of bromoacetone which increases the amount of bromine transported to the stratosphere due to nPB. However, much of that effect is not due to bromoacetone itself, but instead to inorganic bromine which is produced from tropospheric oxidation of nPB, bromoacetone, and other degradation products and is transported above the dry and wet deposition processes of the model. The MOZART2 nPB results indicate a minimal correction of the

Ozone: What Would It Be Like to Live in a World Where the Sun Was Dangerous?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clearing, 1992

1992-01-01

Defines ozone layer and the meaning, evidence, causes, and significance of ozone depletion. Summarizes solutions to the problem of ozone depletion and government action concerning the issue. Graphically depicts ozone depletion, global ozone loss, and how ozone is destroyed. Provides a lesson plan and listing for additional educational resources.…

Interhemispheric Differences in Dentifrication and Related Processes Affecting Polar Ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santee, M. L.; Read, W. G.; Waters, J. W.; Froidevaux, L.; Manney, G. L.; Flower, D. A.; Jarnot, R. F.; Harwood, R. S.; Peckham, G. E.

1994-01-01

The severe depletion of stratospheric ozone over Antarctica in late winter and early spring is caused by enhanced CLO abundances arising from heterogeneous reactions on polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). CLO abundances comparable to those over Antarctica have also been observed throughout the Arctic Vortex, but the accompanying loss of Arctic ozone has been much less severe.

Concerns for Ozone Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liang, Qing; Strahan, Susan E.; Fleming, Eric L.

2017-01-01

Reactive halogen gases containing chlorine (Cl) or bromine (Br) can destroy stratospheric ozone via catalytic cycles. The main sources of atmospheric reactive halogen are the long-lived synthetic chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), methyl chloroform (CH3CCl3), and bromine-containing halons, all of which persist in the atmosphere for years. These ozone-depleting substances are now controlled under the Montreal Protocol and its amendments. Natural methyl bromide (CH3Br) and methyl chloride (CH3Cl) emissions are also important long-lived sources of atmospheric reactive halogen. Rising concentrations of very-short-lived substances (VSLSs) with atmospheric lifetimes of less than half a year may also contribute to future stratospheric ozone depletion. A greater concern for ozone layer recovery is incomplete compliance with the Montreal Protocol, which will impact stratospheric ozone for many decades, as well as rising natural emissions as a result of climate change.

Observations over Hurricanes from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joiner, J.; Vasilkov, A.; Yang, K.; Bhartia, P. K.

2006-01-01

There is an apparent inconsistency between the total column ozone derived from the total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) and aircraft observations within the eye region of tropical cyclones. The higher spectral resolution, coverage, and sampling of the ozone monitoring instrument (OMI) on NASA s Aura satellite as compared with TOMS allows for improved ozone retrievals by including estimates of cloud pressure derived simultaneously using the effects of rotational Raman scattering. The retrieved cloud pressures from OM1 are more appropriate than the climatological cloud-top pressures based on infrared measurements used in the TOMS and initial OM1 algorithms. We find that total ozone within the eye of hurricane Katrina is significantly overestimated when we use climatological cloud pressures. Using OMI-retrieved cloud pressures, total ozone in the eye is similar to that in the surrounding area. The corrected total ozone is in better agreement with aircraft measurements that imply relatively small or negligible amounts of stratospheric intrusion into the eye region of tropical cyclones.

Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report: Database and Metrics Data of Global Surface Ozone Observations

DOE PAGES

Schultz, Martin G.; Schroder, Sabine; Lyapina, Olga; ...

2017-11-27

In support of the first Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR) a relational database of global surface ozone observations has been developed and populated with hourly measurement data and enhanced metadata. A comprehensive suite of ozone data products including standard statistics, health and vegetation impact metrics, and trend information, are made available through a common data portal and a web interface. These data form the basis of the TOAR analyses focusing on human health, vegetation, and climate relevant ozone issues, which are part of this special feature. Cooperation among many data centers and individual researchers worldwide made it possible to buildmore » the world's largest collection of in-situ hourly surface ozone data covering the period from 1970 to 2015. By combining the data from almost 10,000 measurement sites around the world with global metadata information, new analyses of surface ozone have become possible, such as the first globally consistent characterisations of measurement sites as either urban or rural/remote. Exploitation of these global metadata allows for new insights into the global distribution, and seasonal and long-term changes of tropospheric ozone and they enable TOAR to perform the first, globally consistent analysis of present-day ozone concentrations and recent ozone changes with relevance to health, agriculture, and climate. Considerable effort was made to harmonize and synthesize data formats and metadata information from various networks and individual data submissions. Extensive quality control was applied to identify questionable and erroneous data, including changes in apparent instrument offsets or calibrations. Such data were excluded from TOAR data products. Limitations of a posteriori data quality assurance are discussed. As a result of the work presented here, global coverage of surface ozone data for scientific analysis has been significantly extended. Yet, large gaps remain in the surface observation

Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report: Database and Metrics Data of Global Surface Ozone Observations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schultz, Martin G.; Schroder, Sabine; Lyapina, Olga

In support of the first Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR) a relational database of global surface ozone observations has been developed and populated with hourly measurement data and enhanced metadata. A comprehensive suite of ozone data products including standard statistics, health and vegetation impact metrics, and trend information, are made available through a common data portal and a web interface. These data form the basis of the TOAR analyses focusing on human health, vegetation, and climate relevant ozone issues, which are part of this special feature. Cooperation among many data centers and individual researchers worldwide made it possible to buildmore » the world's largest collection of in-situ hourly surface ozone data covering the period from 1970 to 2015. By combining the data from almost 10,000 measurement sites around the world with global metadata information, new analyses of surface ozone have become possible, such as the first globally consistent characterisations of measurement sites as either urban or rural/remote. Exploitation of these global metadata allows for new insights into the global distribution, and seasonal and long-term changes of tropospheric ozone and they enable TOAR to perform the first, globally consistent analysis of present-day ozone concentrations and recent ozone changes with relevance to health, agriculture, and climate. Considerable effort was made to harmonize and synthesize data formats and metadata information from various networks and individual data submissions. Extensive quality control was applied to identify questionable and erroneous data, including changes in apparent instrument offsets or calibrations. Such data were excluded from TOAR data products. Limitations of a posteriori data quality assurance are discussed. As a result of the work presented here, global coverage of surface ozone data for scientific analysis has been significantly extended. Yet, large gaps remain in the surface observation

Depletions in winter total ozone values over southern England

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lapworth, A.

1994-01-01

A study has been made of the recently re-evaluated time series of daily total ozone values for the period 1979 to 1992 for southern England. The series consists of measurements made at two stations, Bracknell and Camborne. The series shows a steady decline in ozone values in the spring months over the period, and this is consistent with data from an earlier decade that has been published but not re-evaluated. Of exceptional note is the monthly mean for January 1992 which was very significantly reduced from the normal value, and was the lowest so far measured for this month. This winter was also noteworthy for a prolonged period during which a blocking anticyclone dominated the region, and the possibility existed that this was related to the ozone anomaly. It was possible to determine whether the origin of the low ozone value lay in ascending stratospheric motions. A linear regression analysis of ozone value deviation against 100hPa temperature deviations was used to reduce ozone values to those expected in the absence of high pressure. The assumption was made that the normal regression relation was not affected by atmospheric anomalies during the winter. This showed that vertical motions in the stratosphere only accounted for part of the ozone anomaly and that the main cause of the ozone deficit lay either in a reduced stratospheric circulation to which the anticyclone may be related or in chemical effects in the reduced stratospheric temperatures above the high pressure area. A study of the ozone time series adjusted to remove variations correlated with meteorological quantities, showed that during the period since 1979, one other winter, that of 1982/3, showed a similar although less well defined deficit in total ozone values.

Some observations on the role of planetary waves in determining the spring time ozone distribution in the Antarctic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chandra, S.; Mcpeters, R. D.

1986-01-01

Ozone measurements from 1970 to 1984 from the Nimbus 4 backscattered ultraviolet and the Nimbus 7 solar backscattered ultraviolet spectrometers show significant decrease in total ozone only after 1979. The downward trend is most apparent in October south of 70 deg S in the longitude zone 0 to 30 deg W where planetary wave activity is weak. Outside this longitude region, the trend in total ozone is much smaller due to strong interannual variability of wave activity. This paper gives a phenomenological description of ozone depletion in the Antarctic region based on vertical advection and transient planetary waves.

When Will the Antarctic Ozone Hole Recover?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Paul A.

2006-01-01

The Antarctic ozone hole demonstrates large-scale, man-made affects on our atmosphere. Surface observations now show that human produced ozone depleting substances (ODSs) are declining. The ozone hole should soon start to diminish because of this decline. In this talk we will demonstrate an ozone hole parametric model. This model is based upon: 1) a new algorithm for estimating 61 and Br levels over Antarctica and 2) late-spring Antarctic stratospheric temperatures. This parametric model explains 95% of the ozone hole area's variance. We use future ODS levels to predict ozone hole recovery. Full recovery to 1980 levels will occur in approximately 2068. The ozone hole area will very slowly decline over the next 2 decades. Detection of a statistically significant decrease of area will not occur until approximately 2024. We further show that nominal Antarctic stratospheric greenhouse gas forced temperature change should have a small impact on the ozone hole.

What Would Have Happened to the Ozone Layer if Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) had not been Regulated?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Paul A.; Oman, L. D.; Douglass, A. R.; Fleming, E. L.; Frith, S. M.; Hurwitz, M. M.; Kawa, S. R.; Jackman, C. H.; Krotkov, N. A.; Nash, E. R.;

Integrated Global Observation Strategy - Ozone and Atmospheric Chemistry Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilsenrath, Ernest; Readings, C. J.; Kaye, J.; Mohnen, V.; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The "Long Term Continuity of Stratospheric Ozone Measurements and Atmospheric Chemistry" project was one of six established by the Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS) in response to the Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS) initiative. IGOS links satellite and ground based systems for global environmental observations. The strategy of this project is to develop a consensus of user requirements including the scientific (SPARC, IGAC, WCRP) and the applications community (WMO, UNEP) and to develop a long-term international plan for ozone and atmospheric chemistry measurements. The major components of the observing system include operational and research (meeting certain criteria) satellite platforms planned by the space faring nations which are integrated with a well supported and sustained ground, aircraft, and balloon measurements program for directed observations as well satellite validation. Highly integrated and continuous measurements of ozone, validation, and reanalysis efforts are essential to meet the international scientific and applications goals. In order to understand ozone trends, climate change, and air quality, it is essential to conduct long term measurements of certain other atmospheric species. These species include key source, radical, and reservoir constituents.

HYDROXYL RADICAL/OZONE RATIOS DURING OZONATION PROCESSES. I. THE RCT CONCEPT

EPA Science Inventory

The ozonation of model systems and several natural waters was examined in bench-scale batch experiments. In addition to measuring the concentration of ozone (03), the rate of depletion of an in situ hydroxyl radical probe compound was monitored, thus providing information on the ...

A Model of the Effect of Ozone Depletion on Lower-Stratospheric Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olsen, Mark A.; Stolarski, Richard S.; Gupta, Mohan L.; Nielsen, J. Eric; Pawson, Steven

2005-01-01

We have run two twenty-year integrations of a global circulation model using 1978-1980 and 1998-2000 monthly mean ozone climatologies. The ozone climatology is used solely in the radiation scheme of the model. Several key differences between the model runs will be presented. The temperature and potential vorticity (PV) structure of the lower stratosphere, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere, is significantly changed using the 1998-2000 ozone climatology. In the Southern Hemisphere summer, the lapse rate and PV-defined polar tropopauses are both at altitudes on the order of several hundred meters greater than the 1978-1980 climatological run. The 380 K potential temperature surf= is likewise at a greater altitude. The mass of the extratropical lowermost stratosphere (between the tropopause and 380 K surface) remains unchanged. The altitude differences are not observed in the Northern Hemisphere. The different ozone fields do not produce a significant change in the annual extratropical stratosphere-troposphere exchange of mass although slight variations in the spatial distribution of the exchange exist. We are also investigating a delay in the breakup of the Southern Hemisphere polar vortex due to the differing ozone climatologies.

Emergence of healing in the Antarctic ozone layer.

PubMed

Solomon, Susan; Ivy, Diane J; Kinnison, Doug; Mills, Michael J; Neely, Ryan R; Schmidt, Anja

2016-07-15

Industrial chlorofluorocarbons that cause ozone depletion have been phased out under the Montreal Protocol. A chemically driven increase in polar ozone (or "healing") is expected in response to this historic agreement. Observations and model calculations together indicate that healing of the Antarctic ozone layer has now begun to occur during the month of September. Fingerprints of September healing since 2000 include (i) increases in ozone column amounts, (ii) changes in the vertical profile of ozone concentration, and (iii) decreases in the areal extent of the ozone hole. Along with chemistry, dynamical and temperature changes have contributed to the healing but could represent feedbacks to chemistry. Volcanic eruptions have episodically interfered with healing, particularly during 2015, when a record October ozone hole occurred after the Calbuco eruption. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Investigations of Stratosphere-Troposphere Exchange of Ozone Derived From MLS Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olsen, Mark A.; Schoeberl, Mark R.; Ziemke, Jerry R.

2006-01-01

Daily high-resolution maps of stratospheric ozone have been constructed using observations by MLS combined with trajectory information. These fields are used to determine the extratropical stratosphere-troposphere exchange (STE) of ozone for the year 2005 using two diagnostic methods. The resulting two annual estimates compare well with past model- and observational-based estimates. Initial analyses of the seasonal characteristics indicate that significant STE of ozone in the polar regions occurs only during spring and early summer. We also examine evidence that the Antarctic ozone hole is responsible for a rapid decrease in the rate of ozone STE during the SH spring. Subtracting the high-resolution stratospheric ozone fiom OMI total column measurements creates a high-resolution tropospheric ozone residual (HTOR) product. The HTOR fields are compared to the spatial distribution of the ozone STE. We show that the mean tropospheric ozone maxima tend to occur near locations of significant ozone STE. This suggests that STE may be responsible for a significant fraction of many mean tropospheric ozone anomalies.

Determination of oxidant exposure during ozonation of secondary effluent to predict contaminant removal.

PubMed

Zucker, Ines; Avisar, Dror; Mamane, Hadas; Jekel, Martin; Hübner, Uwe

2016-09-01

The use of kinetic models to predict oxidation performance in wastewater is limited due to fast ozone depletion during the first milliseconds of the reaction. This paper introduces the Quench Flow Module (QFM), a bench-scale experimental technique developed to measure the first 5-500 milliseconds of ozone depletion for accurate determination of ozone exposure in wastewater-ozonation processes. Calculated ozone exposure in QFM experiments was up to 24% lower than in standard batch experiments, strongly depending on the initial sampling point for measurement in batch experiments. However, oxidation rates of slowly- and moderately-reacting trace organic compounds (TrOCs) were accurately predicted from batch experiments based on integration of ozone depletion and removal of an ozone-resistant probe compound to calculate oxidant exposures. An alternative concept, where ozone and hydroxyl radical exposures are back-calculated from the removal of two probe compounds, was tested as well. Although the QFM was suggested to be an efficient mixing reactor, ozone exposure ranged over three orders of magnitude when different probe compounds reacting moderately with ozone were used for the calculation. These effects were beyond uncertainty ranges for apparent second order rate constants and consistently observed with different ozone-injection techniques, i.e. QFM, batch experiments, bubble columns and venturi injection. This indicates that previously suggested mixing effects are not responsible for the difference and other still unknown factors might be relevant. Results furthermore suggest that ozone exposure calculations from the relative residual concentration of a probe compound are not a promising option for evaluation of ozonation of secondary effluents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relaxed Eddy Accumulation Measurements of Ozone Depleting Compounds from a Mesohaline Saltmarsh Invaded by Lepidium latifolium.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deventer, M. J.; Jiao, Y.; Rhew, R. C.

2017-12-01

Natural emissions of methyl bromide (CH3Br) and methyl chloride (CH3Cl) from terrestrial ecosystems might explain the missing source of these compounds to the atmosphere. Methyl halides are a major source for stratospheric halogens, which catalyzing ozone depletion. Real-world measurements of their exchange fluxes are limited, typically occurring at coarse time scales using intrusive measurement techniques (e.g., laboratory incubations of soil and vegetation samples). To improve the current understanding of the net budget and to provide a more solid foundation for up-scaling purposes, the surface-atmosphere exchange for both methyl halides has been studied during 2016/2017 in a year-long field campaign at Rush Ranch (38.2004 °N, 122.0265 °W), a 4.6 km2 large (natural) brackish saltmarsh in the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine in Suisun Bay (CA, United States), using the non-intrusive micrometeorological Relaxed Eddy Accumulation (REA) technique. With REA flux measurements, a large area of the salt marsh (on the order of multiple acres) can be studied without disturbance. Concurrently, static flux chamber incubations were conducted over different vegetation species, to identify their relevance in terms of methyl halide emissions. Our results confirm substantial emissions of methyl halides from the studied saltmarsh. A rough global extrapolation of these results yields yearly emissions of 52 Gg yr-1 (CH3Cl) and 8 Gg yr-1 for CH3Br, respectively, which is close to estimates based on chamber based observations from southern California saltmarshes. Chamber incubations at Rush Ranch revealed that the invasive species Lepidium latifolium (perennial pepperweed) emits a significant amount of methyl halides, less than the native alkali heath (Frankenia salina) but much more than the native pickleweed (Salicornia spp.) Due to aggressive invasiveness and it's capability to form dense monospecific patches, L. latifolium is the main driver of halide emissions at Rush Ranch

Effects of stratospheric ozone recovery on photochemistry and ozone air quality in the troposphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, H.; Wu, S.; Huang, Y.; Wang, Y.

2014-04-01

There has been significant stratospheric ozone depletion since the late 1970s due to ozone-depleting substances (ODSs). With the implementation of the Montreal Protocol and its amendments and adjustments, stratospheric ozone is expected to recover towards its pre-1980 level in the coming decades. In this study, we examine the implications of stratospheric ozone recovery for the tropospheric chemistry and ozone air quality with a global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem). With a full recovery of the stratospheric ozone, the projected increases in ozone column range from 1% over the low latitudes to more than 10% over the polar regions. The sensitivity factor of troposphere ozone photolysis rate, defined as the percentage changes in surface ozone photolysis rate for 1% increase in stratospheric ozone column, shows significant seasonal variation but is always negative with absolute value larger than one. The expected stratospheric ozone recovery is found to affect the tropospheric ozone destruction rates much more than the ozone production rates. Significant decreases in surface ozone photolysis rates due to stratospheric ozone recovery are simulated. The global average tropospheric OH decreases by 1.7%, and the global average lifetime of tropospheric ozone increases by 1.5%. The perturbations to tropospheric ozone and surface ozone show large seasonal and spatial variations. General increases in surface ozone are calculated for each season, with increases by up to 0.8 ppbv in the remote areas. Increases in ozone lifetime by up to 13% are found in the troposphere. The increased lifetimes of tropospheric ozone in response to stratospheric ozone recovery enhance the intercontinental transport of ozone and global pollution, in particular for the summertime. The global background ozone attributable to Asian emissions is calculated to increase by up to 15% or 0.3 ppbv in the Northern Hemisphere in response to the projected stratospheric ozone recovery.

Ozone (Environmental Health Student Portal)

MedlinePlus

... Environmental Protection Agency) - Describes ozone depletion effects on human health, plants, marine ecosystems, and biogeochemical cycles. Ozone (Tox ... Medicine National Institutes of Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Ozone and Interdisciplinary Science Teaching--Learning to Address the Things That Count Most.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobson, Art

1993-01-01

Presents the ozone depletion story as an excellent case study for the integration of science-related social issues into the college science curriculum. Describes the history of ozone depletion and efforts to remedy the problem. Provides a lecture outline on ozone depletion. Discusses integrating other science-related interdisciplinary topics in…

Achievements in Stratospheric Ozone Protection

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report describes achievements in protecting the ozone layer, the benefits of these achievements, and strategies involved (e.g., using alternatives to ozone-depleting substances, phasing out harmful substances, and creating partnerships).

Ozone time scale decomposition and trend assessment from surface observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boleti, Eirini; Hueglin, Christoph; Takahama, Satoshi

2017-04-01

Emissions of ozone precursors have been regulated in Europe since around 1990 with control measures primarily targeting to industries and traffic. In order to understand how these measures have affected air quality, it is now important to investigate concentrations of tropospheric ozone in different types of environments, based on their NOx burden, and in different geographic regions. In this study, we analyze high quality data sets for Switzerland (NABEL network) and whole Europe (AirBase) for the last 25 years to calculate long-term trends of ozone concentrations. A sophisticated time scale decomposition method, called the Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) (Huang,1998;Wu,2009), is used for decomposition of the different time scales of the variation of ozone, namely the long-term trend, seasonal and short-term variability. This allows subtraction of the seasonal pattern of ozone from the observations and estimation of long-term changes of ozone concentrations with lower uncertainty ranges compared to typical methodologies used. We observe that, despite the implementation of regulations, for most of the measurement sites ozone daily mean values have been increasing until around mid-2000s. Afterwards, we observe a decline or a leveling off in the concentrations; certainly a late effect of limitations in ozone precursor emissions. On the other hand, the peak ozone concentrations have been decreasing for almost all regions. The evolution in the trend exhibits some differences between the different types of measurement. In addition, ozone is known to be strongly affected by meteorology. In the applied approach, some of the meteorological effects are already captured by the seasonal signal and already removed in the de-seasonalized ozone time series. For adjustment of the influence of meteorology on the higher frequency ozone variation, a statistical approach based on Generalized Additive Models (GAM) (Hastie,1990;Wood,2006), which corrects for meteorological

Observations and theories related to Antarctic ozone changes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartmann, D.; Watson, R. T.; Cox, Richard A.; Kolb, C.; Mahlman, J.; Mcelroy, M.; Plumb, A.; Ramanathan, V.; Schoeberl, M.; Solomon, S.

1989-01-01

In 1985, there was a report of a large, sudden, and unanticipated decrease in the abundance of springtime Antarctic ozone over the last decade. By 1987, ozone decreases of more than 50 percent in the total column, and 95 percent locally between 15 and 20 km, had been observed. The scientific community quickly rose to the challenge of explaining this remarkable discovery; theoreticians soon developed a series of chemical and dynamical hypotheses to explain the ozone loss. Three basic theories were proposed to explain the springtime ozone hole. (1) The ozone hole is caused by the increasing atmospheric loadings of manmade chemicals containing chlorine (chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) and bromine (halons)). These chemicals efficiently destroy ozone in the lower stratosphere in the Antarctic because of the special geophysical conditions, of an isolated air mass (polar vortex) with very cold temperatures, that exist there. (2) The circulation of the atmosphere in spring has changed from being predominantly downward over Antarctica to upward. This would mean that ozone poor air from the troposphere, instead of ozone rich air from the upper stratosphere, would be transported into the lower Antarctic stratosphere. (3) The abundance of the oxides of nitrogen in the lower Antarctic stratosphere is periodically enhanced by solar activity. Nitrogen oxides are produced in the upper mesosphere and thermosphere and then transported downward into the lower stratosphere in Antarctica, resulting in the chemical destruction of ozone. The climatology and trends of ozone, temperature, and polar stratospheric clouds are discussed. Also, the transport and chemical theories for the Antarctic ozone hole are presented.

Not just about sunburn--the ozone hole's profound effect on climate has significant implications for Southern Hemisphere ecosystems.

PubMed

Robinson, Sharon A; Erickson, David J

2015-02-01

Climate scientists have concluded that stratospheric ozone depletion has been a major driver of Southern Hemisphere climate processes since about 1980. The implications of these observed and modelled changes in climate are likely to be far more pervasive for both terrestrial and marine ecosystems than the increase in ultraviolet-B radiation due to ozone depletion; however, they have been largely overlooked in the biological literature. Here, we synthesize the current understanding of how ozone depletion has impacted Southern Hemisphere climate and highlight the relatively few documented impacts on terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Reviewing the climate literature, we present examples of how ozone depletion changes atmospheric and oceanic circulation, with an emphasis on how these alterations in the physical climate system affect Southern Hemisphere weather, especially over the summer season (December-February). These potentially include increased incidence of extreme events, resulting in costly floods, drought, wildfires and serious environmental damage. The ecosystem impacts documented so far include changes to growth rates of South American and New Zealand trees, decreased growth of Antarctic mosses and changing biodiversity in Antarctic lakes. The objective of this synthesis was to stimulate the ecological community to look beyond ultraviolet-B radiation when considering the impacts of ozone depletion. Such widespread changes in Southern Hemisphere climate are likely to have had as much or more impact on natural ecosystems and food production over the past few decades, than the increased ultraviolet radiation due to ozone depletion. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Largest-ever Ozone Hole over Antarctica

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

A NASA instrument has detected an Antarctic ozone 'hole' (what scientists call an 'ozone depletion area') that is three times larger than the entire land mass of the United States-the largest such area ever observed. The 'hole' expanded to a record size of approximately 11 million square miles (28.3 million square kilometers) on Sept. 3, 2000. The previous record was approximately 10.5 million square miles (27.2 million square km) on Sept. 19, 1998. The ozone hole's size currently has stabilized, but the low levels in its interior continue to fall. The lowest readings in the ozone hole are typically observed in late September or early October each year. 'These observations reinforce concerns about the frailty of Earth's ozone layer. Although production of ozone-destroying gases has been curtailed under international agreements, concentrations of the gases in the stratosphere are only now reaching their peak. Due to their long persistence in the atmosphere, it will be many decades before the ozone hole is no longer an annual occurrence,' said Dr. Michael J. Kurylo, manager of the Upper Atmosphere Research Program, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. Ozone molecules, made up of three atoms of oxygen, comprise a thin layer of the atmosphere that absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Most atmospheric ozone is found between approximately six miles (9.5 km) and 18 miles (29 km) above the Earth's surface. Scientists continuing to investigate this enormous hole are somewhat surprised by its size. The reasons behind the dimensions involve both early-spring conditions, and an extremely intense Antarctic vortex. The Antarctic vortex is an upper-altitude stratospheric air current that sweeps around the Antarctic continent, confining the Antarctic ozone hole. 'Variations in the size of the ozone hole and of ozone depletion accompanying it from one year to the next are not unexpected,' said Dr. Jack Kaye, Office of Earth Sciences Research Director, NASA Headquarters

Ozone Decline and Recovery: The Significance of Uncertainties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, N. R. P.

2017-12-01

Stratospheric ozone depletion has been one of the leading environmental issues of the last 40 years. It has required research scientists, industry and government to work together to address it successfully. Steps have been taken to reduce the emissions of ozone depleting substances (ODS) under successive revisions of the measures in the 30 year old Montreal Protocol. These have led to a reduction in atmospheric ODS concentrations and so are expected over time to result in a reduction of chemical ozone depletion by ODS. This 'recovery' is being influenced by a number of other factors (natural variability, climate change, other changes in stratospheric chemistry) which makes it hard to provide good, quantitative estimates of the impact of the recent ODS reductions on stratospheric ozone. In this presentation, I discuss how ozone trends were linked to ODS during the period of ozone depletion and during the recent period of 'recovery', i.e. before and after the peak in atmospheric ODS. It is important to be as rigorous as possible in order to give public confidence in the advice provided through the scientific assessment process. We thus need to be as critical of our analyses of the recent data as possible, even though there is a strong expectation and hope from all sides that stratospheric ozone is recovering. I will describe in outline the main challenges that exist now and looking forward.

Altitude-temporal behaviour of atmospheric ozone, temperature and wind velocity observed at Svalbard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petkov, Boyan H.; Vitale, Vito; Svendby, Tove M.; Hansen, Georg H.; Sobolewski, Piotr S.; Láska, Kamil; Elster, Josef; Pavlova, Kseniya; Viola, Angelo; Mazzola, Mauro; Lupi, Angelo; Solomatnikova, Anna

2018-07-01

The vertical features of the variations in the atmospheric ozone density, temperature and wind velocity observed at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard were studied by applying the principal component analysis to the ozonesounding data collected during the 1992-2016 period. Two data sets corresponding to intra-seasonal (IS) variations, which are composed by harmonics with lower than 1 year periods and inter-annual (IA) variations, characterised by larger periods, were extracted and analysed separately. The IS variations in all the three parameters were found to be composed mainly by harmonics typical for the Madden-Julian Oscillation (from 30- to 60-day periods) and, while the first four principal components (PCs) associated with the temperature and wind contributed about 90% to the IS variations, the ozone IS oscillations appeared to be a higher dimensional object for which the first 15 PCs presented almost the same extent of contribution. The IA variations in the three parameters were consisted of harmonics that correspond to widely registered over the globe Quasi-Biennial, El Niño-Southern, North Atlantic and Arctic Oscillations respectively, and the IA variations turned out to be negligible below the tropopause that characterises the Svalbard troposphere as comparatively closed system with respect to the long-period global variations. The behaviour of the first and second PCs associated with IS ozone variations in the time of particular events, like the strong ozone depletion over Arctic in the spring 2011 and solar eclipses was discussed and the changes in the amplitude-frequency features of these PCs were assumed as signs of the atmosphere response to the considered phenomena.

Ozone Depletion Potential of CH3Br

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sander, Stanley P.; Ko, Malcolm K. W.; Sze, Nien Dak; Scott, Courtney; Rodriquez, Jose M.; Weisenstein, Debra K.

1998-01-01

The ozone depletion potential (ODP) of methyl bromide (CH3Br) can be determined by combining the model-calculated bromine efficiency factor (BEF) for CH3Br and its atmospheric lifetime. This paper examines how changes in several key kinetic data affect BEF. The key reactions highlighted in this study include the reaction of BrO + H02, the absorption cross section of HOBr, the absorption cross section and the photolysis products of BrON02, and the heterogeneous conversion of BrON02 to HOBR and HN03 on aerosol particles. By combining the calculated BEF with the latest estimate of 0.7 year for the atmospheric lifetime of CH3Br, the likely value of ODP for CH3Br is 0.39. The model-calculated concentration of HBr (approximately 0.3 pptv) in the lower stratosphere is substantially smaller than the reported measured value of about I pptv. Recent publications suggested models can reproduce the measured value if one assumes a yield for HBr from the reaction of BrO + OH or from the reaction of BrO + H02. Although the DeAlore et al. evaluation concluded any substantial yield of HBr from BrO + HO2 is unlikely, for completeness, we calculate the effects of these assumed yields on BEF for CH3Br. Our calculations show that the effects are minimal: practically no impact for an assumed 1.3% yield of HBr from BrO + OH and 10% smaller for an assumed 0.6% yield from BrO + H02.

Polar Ozone Workshop. Abstracts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aikin, Arthur C.

1988-01-01

Results of the proceedings of the Polar Ozone Workshop held in Snowmass, CO, on May 9 to 13, 1988 are given. Topics covered include ozone depletion, ozonometry, polar meteorology, polar stratospheric clouds, remote sensing of trace gases, atmospheric chemistry and dynamical simulations.

A laboratory study of the UV Absorption Spectrum of the ClO Dimer (Cl2O2) and the Implications for Polar Stratospheric Ozone Depletion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papanastasiou, D. K.; Papadimitriou, V. C.; Fahey, D. W.; Burkholder, J. B.

2009-12-01

Chlorine containing species play an important role in catalytic ozone depleting cycles in the Antarctic and Arctic stratosphere. The ClO dimer (Cl2O2) catalytic ozone destruction cycle accounts for the majority of the observed polar ozone loss. A key step in this catalytic cycle is the UV photolysis of Cl2O2. The determination of the Cl2O2 UV absorption spectrum has been the subject of several studies since the late 1980’s. Recently, Pope et al. (J. Phys. Chem. A, 111, 4322, 2007) reported significantly lower absorption cross sections for Cl2O2 for the atmospherically relevant wavelength region, >300 nm, than currently recommended for use in atmospheric models. If correct, the Pope et al. results would alter our understanding of the chemistry of polar ozone depletion significantly. In this study, the UV absorption spectrum and absolute cross sections of gas-phase Cl2O2 are reported for the wavelength range 200 - 420 nm at ~200 K. Sequential pulsed laser photolysis of various precursors were used to produce the ClO radical and Cl2O2 via the subsequent ClO + ClO + M reaction under static conditions. UV absorption spectra of the reaction mixture were measured using a diode array spectrometer after completion of the gas-phase radical chemistry. The spectral analysis utilized the observed isosbestic points, reaction stoichiometry, and chlorine mass balance to determine the UV spectrum and absolute cross section of Cl2O2. A complementary experimental technique similar to that used by Pope et al. was also used in this study. We obtained consistent Cl2O2 UV absorption spectra using the two different techniques. The Cl2O2 absorption cross sections for wavelengths in the 300 - 420 nm range were found to be in very good agreement with the values reported previously by Burkholder et al. (J. Phys. Chem. A, 94, 687, 1990) and significantly greater than the Pope et al. values in this atmospherically important wavelength region. A possible explanation for the disagreement with

Global Distribution and Trends of Tropospheric Ozone: An Observation-Based Review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, O. R.; Parrish, D. D.; Ziemke, J.; Cupeiro, M.; Galbally, I. E.; Gilge, S.; Horowitz, L.; Jensen, N. R.; Lamarque, J.-F.; Naik, V.;

Evidence for a Continuous Decline in Lower Stratospheric Ozone Offsetting Ozone Layer Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ball, William T.; Alsing, Justin; Mortlock, Daniel J.; Staehelin, Johannes; Haigh, Joanna D.; Peter, Thomas; Tummon, Fiona; Stuebi, Rene; Stenke, Andrea; Anderson, John;

Evidence for a continuous decline in lower stratospheric ozone offsetting ozone layer recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ball, William T.; Alsing, Justin; Mortlock, Daniel J.; Staehelin, Johannes; Haigh, Joanna D.; Peter, Thomas; Tummon, Fiona; Stübi, Rene; Stenke, Andrea; Anderson, John; Bourassa, Adam; Davis, Sean M.; Degenstein, Doug; Frith, Stacey; Froidevaux, Lucien; Roth, Chris; Sofieva, Viktoria; Wang, Ray; Wild, Jeannette; Yu, Pengfei; Ziemke, Jerald R.; Rozanov, Eugene V.

2018-02-01

Ozone forms in the Earth's atmosphere from the photodissociation of molecular oxygen, primarily in the tropical stratosphere. It is then transported to the extratropics by the Brewer-Dobson circulation (BDC), forming a protective ozone layer around the globe. Human emissions of halogen-containing ozone-depleting substances (hODSs) led to a decline in stratospheric ozone until they were banned by the Montreal Protocol, and since 1998 ozone in the upper stratosphere is rising again, likely the recovery from halogen-induced losses. Total column measurements of ozone between the Earth's surface and the top of the atmosphere indicate that the ozone layer has stopped declining across the globe, but no clear increase has been observed at latitudes between 60° S and 60° N outside the polar regions (60-90°). Here we report evidence from multiple satellite measurements that ozone in the lower stratosphere between 60° S and 60° N has indeed continued to decline since 1998. We find that, even though upper stratospheric ozone is recovering, the continuing downward trend in the lower stratosphere prevails, resulting in a downward trend in stratospheric column ozone between 60° S and 60° N. We find that total column ozone between 60° S and 60° N appears not to have decreased only because of increases in tropospheric column ozone that compensate for the stratospheric decreases. The reasons for the continued reduction of lower stratospheric ozone are not clear; models do not reproduce these trends, and thus the causes now urgently need to be established.

Comparing Model Ozone Loss during the SOLVE and SOLVE-2 Winters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drdla, K.

2003-01-01

Model simulations have been used to analyze the factors influencing ozone loss during the 1999-2000 and 2002-2003 js. For both winters, the evolution of the Arctic vortex from November to April has been simulated using a trajectory-based microphysical and photochemical model. Extensive PSC formation and strong ozone depletion are evident in both winters. However, the ozone loss begins earlier in the 2002-2003 winter, with significant ozone depletion by early January. Analysis of the model results shows that during December 2002 not only cold temperatures but also the vortex structure was critical, allowing PSC-processed air parcels to experience significant solar exposure. The resultant ozone loss can be differentiated from ozone loss that occurs in the springtime, in particular because of the continued exposure to PSCs. For example, chlorine reactivation by the PSCs causes ozone loss to be insensitive to denitrification. Therefore, diagnosing the extent of ozone loss early in the winter is critical In understanding the overall winter-long ozone depletion.

The Nature of Relationships among the Components of Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Preservice Science Teachers: "Ozone Layer Depletion" as an Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaya, Osman N.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among the components of preservice science teachers' (PSTs) pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) involving the topic "ozone layer depletion". An open-ended survey was first administered to 216 PSTs in their final year at the Faculty of Education to determine their subject matter…

Ozone Lidar Observations for Air Quality Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Lihua; Newchurch, Mike; Kuang, Shi; Burris, John F.; Huang, Guanyu; Pour-Biazar, Arastoo; Koshak, William; Follette-Cook, Melanie B.; Pickering, Kenneth E.; McGee, Thomas J.;

The Response of Ozone and Nitrogen Dioxide to the Eruption of Mount Pinatubo at Southern and Northern Midlatitudes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aquila, Valentina; Oman, Luke D.; Stolarski, Richard S.; Douglass, Anne R.; Newman, Paul A.

2013-01-01

Observations have shown that the mass of nitrogen dioxide decreased at both southern and northern midlatitudes in the year following the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, indicating that the volcanic aerosol had enhanced nitrogen dioxide depletion via heterogeneous chemistry. In contrast, the observed ozone response showed a northern midlatitude decrease and a small southern midlatitude increase. Previous simulations that included an enhancement of heterogeneous chemistry by the volcanic aerosol but no other effect of this aerosol produce ozone decreases in both hemispheres, contrary to observations. The authors simulations show that the heating due to the volcanic aerosol enhanced both the tropical upwelling and Southern Hemisphere extratropical downwelling. This enhanced extratropical downwelling, combined with the time of the eruption relative to the phase of the Brewer Dobson circulation, increased Southern Hemisphere ozone via advection, counteracting the ozone depletion due to heterogeneous chemistry on the Pinatubo aerosol.

A reanalysis of ozone on Mars from assimilation of SPICAM observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmes, James A.; Lewis, Stephen R.; Patel, Manish R.; Lefèvre, Franck

2018-03-01

We have assimilated for the first time SPICAM retrievals of total ozone into a Martian global circulation model to provide a global reanalysis of the ozone cycle. Disagreement in total ozone between model prediction and assimilation is observed between 45°S-10°S from LS = 135-180° and at northern polar (60°N-90°N) latitudes during northern fall (LS = 150-195°). Large percentage differences in total ozone at northern fall polar latitudes identified through the assimilation process are linked with excessive northward transport of water vapour west of Tharsis and over Arabia Terra. Modelling biases in water vapour can also explain the underestimation of total ozone between 45°S-10°S from LS = 135-180°. Heterogeneous uptake of odd hydrogen radicals are unable to explain the outstanding underestimation of northern polar total ozone in late northern fall. Assimilation of total ozone retrievals results in alterations of the modelled spatial distribution of ozone in the southern polar winter high altitude ozone layer. This illustrates the potential use of assimilation methods in constraining total ozone where SPICAM cannot observe, in a region where total ozone is especially important for potential investigations of the polar dynamics.

Comparison of Recent Modeled and Observed Trends in Total Column Ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andersen, S. B.; Weatherhead, E. C.; Stevermer, A.; Austin, J.; Bruehl, C.; Fleming, E. L.; deGrandpre, J.; Grewe, V.; Isaksen, I.; Pitari, G.;

Comparison of recent modeled and observed trends in total column ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersen, S. B.; Weatherhead, E. C.; Stevermer, A.; Austin, J.; Brühl, C.; Fleming, E. L.; de Grandpré, J.; Grewe, V.; Isaksen, I.; Pitari, G.; Portmann, R. W.; Rognerud, B.; Rosenfield, J. E.; Smyshlyaev, S.; Nagashima, T.; Velders, G. J. M.; Weisenstein, D. K.; Xia, J.

2006-01-01

We present a comparison of trends in total column ozone from 10 two-dimensional and 4 three-dimensional models and solar backscatter ultraviolet-2 (SBUV/2) satellite observations from the period 1979-2003. Trends for the past (1979-2000), the recent 7 years (1996-2003), and the future (2000-2050) are compared. We have analyzed the data using both simple linear trends and linear trends derived with a hockey stick method including a turnaround point in 1996. If the last 7 years, 1996-2003, are analyzed in isolation, the SBUV/2 observations show no increase in ozone, and most of the models predict continued depletion, although at a lesser rate. In sharp contrast to this, the recent data show positive trends for the Northern and the Southern Hemispheres if the hockey stick method with a turnaround point in 1996 is employed for the models and observations. The analysis shows that the observed positive trends in both hemispheres in the recent 7-year period are much larger than what is predicted by the models. The trends derived with the hockey stick method are very dependent on the values just before the turnaround point. The analysis of the recent data therefore depends greatly on these years being representative of the overall trend. Most models underestimate the past trends at middle and high latitudes. This is particularly pronounced in the Northern Hemisphere. Quantitatively, there is much disagreement among the models concerning future trends. However, the models agree that future trends are expected to be positive and less than half the magnitude of the past downward trends. Examination of the model projections shows that there is virtually no correlation between the past and future trends from the individual models.

On the Identification of Ozone Recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stone, Kane A.; Solomon, Susan; Kinnison, Douglas E.

2018-05-01

As ozone depleting substances decline, stratospheric ozone is displaying signs of healing in the Antarctic lower stratosphere. Here we focus on higher altitudes and the global stratosphere. Two key processes that can influence ozone recovery are evaluated: dynamical variability and solar proton events (SPEs). A nine-member ensemble of free-running simulations indicates that dynamical variability dominates the relatively small ozone recovery signal over 1998-2016 in the subpolar lower stratosphere, particularly near the tropical tropopause. The absence of observed recovery there to date is therefore not unexpected. For the upper stratosphere, high latitudes (50-80°N/S) during autumn and winter show the largest recovery. Large halogen-induced odd oxygen loss there provides a fingerprint of seasonal sensitivity to chlorine trends. However, we show that SPEs also have a profound effect on ozone trends within this region since 2000. Thus, accounting for SPEs is important for detection of recovery in the upper stratosphere.

Ozone in the Atmosphere: I. The Upper Atmosphere.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Paul S.

1990-01-01

Research concerning the role of stratospheric ozone and the effect of chlorofluorocarbons on stratospheric ozone are discussed. The consequences of global ozone depletion are projected. The Montreal Protocol is reviewed. (CW)

The TOAR database on observations of surface ozone (and more)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, M. G.; Schröder, S.; Cooper, O. R.; Galbally, I. E.; Petropavlovskikh, I. V.; von Schneidemesser, E.; Tanimoto, H.; Elshorbany, Y. F.; Naja, M. K.; Seguel, R. J.

2017-12-01

In support of the first Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR) a relational database of global surface ozone observations has been developed and populated with hourly measurement data and enhanced metadata. A comprehensive suite of ozone data products including standard statistics, health and vegetation impact metrics, and trend information, are made available through a common data portal and a web interface. These data form the basis of the TOAR analyses focusing on human health, vegetation, and climate relevant ozone issues. Cooperation among many data centers and individual researchers worldwide made it possible to build the world's largest collection of in-situ hourly surface ozone data covering the period from 1970 to 2015. By combining the data from almost 10,000 measurement sites around the world with global metadata information, new analyses of surface ozone have become possible, such as the first globally consistent characterisations of measurement sites as either urban or rural/remote. Exploitation of these global metadata allows for new insights into the global distribution, and seasonal and long-term changes of tropospheric ozone and they enable TOAR to perform the first, globally consistent analysis of present-day ozone concentrations and recent ozone changes with relevance to health, agriculture, and climate. This presentation will provide a summary of the TOAR surface observations database including recent additions of ozone precursor and meteorological data. We will demonstrate how the database can be accessed and the data can be used, and we will discuss its limitations and the potential for closing some of teh remaining data gaps.

A Three-Tier Diagnostic Test to Assess Pre-Service Teachers' Misconceptions about Global Warming, Greenhouse Effect, Ozone Layer Depletion, and Acid Rain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arslan, Harika Ozge; Cigdemoglu, Ceyhan; Moseley, Christine

2012-01-01

This study describes the development and validation of a three-tier multiple-choice diagnostic test, the atmosphere-related environmental problems diagnostic test (AREPDiT), to reveal common misconceptions of global warming (GW), greenhouse effect (GE), ozone layer depletion (OLD), and acid rain (AR). The development of a two-tier diagnostic test…

Lagrangian Transport Calculations Using UARS Data. Part 2; Ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manney, Gloria L.; Zurek, R. W.; Froidevaux, L.; Waters, J. W.; ONeill, A.; Swinbank, R.

1995-01-01

Trajectory calculations are used to examine ozone transport in the polar winter stratosphere during periods of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) observations. The value of these calculations for determining mass transport was demonstrated previously using UARS observations of long-lived tracers, In the middle stratosphere, the overall ozone behavior observed by the Microwave Limb Sounder in the polar vortex is reproduced by this purely dynamical model. Calculations show the evolution of ozone in the lower stratosphere during early winter to be dominated by dynamics in December 1992 in the Arctic. Calculations for June 1992 in the Antarctic show evidence of chemical ozone destruction and indicate that approx. 50% of the chemical destruction may be masked by dynamical effects, mainly diabatic descent, which bring higher ozone into the lower-stratospheric vortex. Estimating differences between calculated and observed fields suggests that dynamical changes masked approx. 20% - 35% of chemical ozone loss during late February and early March 1993 in the Arctic. In the Antarctic late winter, in late August and early September 1992, below approx. 520 K, the evolution of vortex-averaged ozone is entirely dominated by chemical effects; above this level, however, chemical ozone depletion can be partially or completely masked by dynamical effects. Our calculations for 1992 showed that chemical loss was nearly completely compensated by increases due to diabatic descent at 655 K.

Nuclear weapons tests and short-term effects on atmospheric ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, A. J.; Krueger, A. J.; Prabhakara, C.; Hilsenrath, E.

1974-01-01

Observations made when Nimbus 4 passed over a nuclear cloud about three hours after the bomb exploded are presented. Infrared and BUV measurements indicated that the atmospheric ozone level in the area of cloud was significantly less than in areas directly north and south of the cloud. It is noted, however, that it is not possible to state definitively that the ozone depletion was caused by nitrogen oxides released in the nuclear weapons test, and that further observations must be made to clarify the situation.

Next Generation Refrigeration Lubricants for Low Global Warming Potential/Low Ozone Depleting Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hessell, Edward Thomas

The goal of this project is to develop and test new synthetic lubricants that possess high compatibility with new low ozone depleting (LOD) and low global warming potential (LGWP) refrigerants and offer improved lubricity and wear protection over current lubricant technologies. The improved compatibility of the lubricants with the refrigerants, along with improved lubricating properties, will resulted in lower energy consumption and longer service life of the refrigeration systems used in residential, commercial and industrial heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) and refrigeration equipment.

Simulations and observations of plasma depletion, ion composition, and airglow emissions in two auroral ionospheric depletion experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yau, A. W.; Whalen, B. A.; Harris, F. R.; Gattinger, R. L.; Pongratz, M. B.

1985-01-01

Observations of plasma depletion, ion composition modification, and airglow emissions in the Waterhole experiments are presented. The detailed ion chemistry and airglow emission processes related to the ionospheric hole formation in the experiment are examined, and observations are compared with computer simulation results. The latter indicate that the overall depletion rates in different parts of the depletion region are governed by different parameters.

Ozone-Depleting Gases in the Atmosphere: Results From 28 Years of Measurements by the NOAA Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory (CMDL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurst, D. F.; Elkins, J. W.; Montzka, S. A.; Butler, J. H.; Dutton, G. S.; Hall, B. D.; Mondeel, D. J.; Moore, F. L.; Nance, J. D.; Romashkin, P. A.; Thompson, T. M.

2005-12-01

Back in 1978, NOAA/CMDL initiated the weekly filling of flasks at CMDL observatories in Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, and Antarctica for analyses of CFC-11, CFC-12 and N2O in the home laboratory. A decade later, each observatory was outfitted with an automated gas chromatograph to make routine, in situ measurements of these three source gases plus methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride. Both measurement programs are ongoing, having expanded over the years to include methyl halides and substitutes for regulated halocarbons, to presently account for 95% of the total burden of long-lived Cl and Br believed to enter the stratosphere. These long-term monitoring data have been assimilated into temporal records of the global tropospheric burdens of ozone-depleting chlorine and bromine which are critical input to models that predict future trends in stratospheric ozone. Other information pivotal to ozone projections, such as the atmospheric lifetimes of source gases, stratospheric entry values for total chlorine and total bromine, and identification of the stratospheric sink regions for long-lived source gases, has been gained from in situ measurements by NOAA/CMDL instruments aboard NASA high-altitude aircraft (ER-2 and WB-57) and balloons since 1991. Though CMDL's routine monitoring activities provide important historical records of halogenated source gases in the atmosphere, significant inaccuracies in ozone projections may propagate from the uncertain estimates of impending emissions of ozone-depleting gases. Scenarios of future halocarbon emissions require substantial assumptions about past and pending compliance with the Montreal Protocol, and the sizes and release rates of existing global reservoirs (banks) of halocarbons. Recent work by CMDL has focused on quantifying halocarbon bank emission rates in Russia, the USA, and Canada through geographically extensive measurements aboard trains and low-altitude aircraft. The USA and Canada results indicate that

Northern Hemisphere Winter Climate Response to Greenhouse Gas, Ozone, Solar and Volcanic Forcing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shindell, Drew T.; Schmidt, Gavin A.; Miller, Ron L.; Rind, David; Hansen, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) climate/middle atmosphere model has been used to study the impacts of increasing greenhouse gases, polar ozone depletion, volcanic eruptions, and solar cycle variability. We focus on the projection of the induced responses onto Northern Hemisphere winter surface climate. Changes in the model's surface climate take place largely through enhancement of existing variability patterns, with greenhouse gases, polar ozone depletion and volcanic eruptions primarily affecting the Arctic Oscillation (AO) pattern. Perturbations descend from the stratosphere to the surface in the model by altering the propagation of planetary waves coming up from the surface, in accord with observational evidence. Models lacking realistic stratospheric dynamics fail to capture these wave flux changes. The results support the conclusion that the stratosphere plays a crucial role in recent AO trends. We show that in our climate model, while ozone depletion has a significant effect, greenhouse gas forcing is the only one capable of causing the large, sustained increase in the AO observed over recent decades. This suggests that the AO trend, and a concurrent strengthening of the stratospheric vortex over the Arctic, are very likely anthropogenic in origin.

Relationships between organic nitrates and surface ozone destruction during Polar Sunrise Experiment 1992

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muthuramu, K.; Shepson, P. B.; Bottenheim, J. W.; Jobson, B. T.; Niki, H.; Anlauf, K. G.

1994-12-01

Concurrent measurements of total reactive odd nitrogen species (i.e., NOy) and its major components, including organic nitrates, were carried out during 1992 Polar Sunrise Experiment (PSE92) at Alert, Northwest Territories, Canada, to investigate the episodic depletion of surface level ozone following polar sunrise. A series of C3-C7 alkyl nitrates formed from the atmospheric oxidation of hydrocarbons was measured daily during the 13-week study period (January 22 to April 22). In addition, a large number of gas chromatography/electron capture detector (GC/ECD) peaks with retention times greater than those of the hexyl nitrates were also identified as species containing -ONO2 group(s), using a nitrogen specific detector. The total concentrations of these organic nitrates ranged from 34 to 128 parts per trillion by volume and the distribution in the dark period was found to be similar to that found for rural lower-latitude air masses. In contrast to observations made at lower latitudes where alkyl nitrates make a relatively small contribution to NOy, the organic nitrates at Alert were found to contribute between 7 and 20% of the total odd nitrogen species. After polar sunrise the total concentrations of these organic nitrates decreased steadily, due primarily to the consumption of larger (>C4) alkyl nitrates. The C3 alkyl nitrate concentrations showed little variation during this study. During ozone depletion episodes in April there was a positive correlation between the concentration of the larger organic nitrates and ozone. Most surprisingly, the ratio of concentrations of isomeric alkyl nitrates with carbon numbers ≥5, and in particular those involving the C5 isomers, was found to show substantial variations coinciding with the O3 depletion events. This change in the isomeric alkyl nitrate ratios implies a substantial chemical processing of the air masses exhibiting ozone depletion. The possible mechanisms, which must involve consumption of the organic nitrates

Stratospheric Cooling and Arctic Ozone Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danilin, Michael Y.; Sze, Nien-Dak; Ko, Malcolm K. W.; Rodriquez, Jose M.

1998-01-01

We present sensitivity studies using the AER( box model for an idealized parcel in the lower stratosphere at 70 N during winter/spring with different assumed stratospheric coolings and chlorine loadings. Our calculations show that stratospheric cooling could further deplete ozone via increased polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) formation and retard its expected recovery even with the projected chlorine loading decrease. We introduce the concept of chlorine-cooling equivalent and show that a 1 K cooling could provide the same local ozone depletion as an increase of chlorine by 0.4-0.7 ppbv for the scenarios considered. Thus, sustained stratospheric cooling could further reduce Arctic ozone content and delay the anticipated ozone recovery in the Northern Hemisphere even with the realization of the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments.

Stratospheric Cooling and Arctic Ozone Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danilin, Michael Y.; Sze, Nien-Dak; Ko, Malcolm K. W.; Rodriquez, Jose M.

1998-01-01

We present sensitivity studies using the AER box model for an idealized parcel in the lower stratosphere at 70 deg N during winter/spring with different assumed stratospheric cooling and chlorine loadings. Our calculations show that stratospheric cooling could further deplete ozone via increased polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) formation and retard its expected recovery even with the projected chlorine loading decrease. We introduce the concept of chlorine-cooling equivalent and show that a 1 K Cooling could provide the same local ozone depletion as an increase of chlorine by 0.4-0.7 ppbv for the scenarios considered. Thus, sustained stratospheric cooling could further reduce Arctic ozone content and delay the anticipated ozone recovery in the Northern Hemisphere even with the realization of the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments.

What Controls the Size of the Antarctic Ozone Hole?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhartia, P. K. (Technical Monitor); Newman, Paul A.; Kawa, S. Randolph; Nash, Eric R.

2002-01-01

The Antarctic ozone hole is a region of extremely large ozone depletion that is roughly centered over the South Pole. Since 1979, the area coverage of the ozone hole has grown from near zero size to over 24 Million square kilometers. In the 8-year period from 1981 to 1989, the area expanded by 18 Million square kilometers. During the last 5 years, the hole has been observed to exceed 25 Million square kilometers over brief periods. We will review these size observations, the size trends, and the interannual variability of the size. The area is derived from the area enclosed by the 220 DU total ozone contour. We will discuss the rationale for the choice of 220 DU: 1) it is located near the steep gradient between southern mid-latitudes and the polar region, and 2) 220 DU is a value that is lower than the pre- 1979 ozone observations over Antarctica during the spring period. The phenomenal growth of the ozone hole was directly caused by the increases of chlorine and bromine compounds in the stratosphere. In this talk, we will show the relationship of the ozone hole's size to the interannual variability of Antarctic spring temperatures. In addition, we will show the relationship of these same temperatures to planetary-scale wave forcings.

From LIMS to OMPS-LP: Limb Ozone Observations for Future Reanalyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wargan, K.; Kramarova, N.; Remsberg, E.; Coy, L.; Harvey, L.; Livesey, N.; Pawson, S.

2017-01-01

High vertical resolution and accuracy of ozone data from satellite-borne limb sounders has made them an invaluable tool in scientific studies of the middle and upper atmosphere. However, it was not until recently that these measurements were successfully incorporated in atmospheric reanalyses: of the major multidecadal reanalyses only ECMWF's (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts') ERA (ECMWF Re-Analysis)-Interim/ERA5 and NASA's MERRA-2 (Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications-2) use limb ozone data. Validation and comparison studies have demonstrated that the addition of observations from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on EOS (Earth Observing System) Aura greatly improved the quality of ozone fields in MERRA-2 making these assimilated data sets useful for scientific research. In this presentation, we will show the results of test experiments assimilating retrieved ozone from the Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS, 1978/1979) and Ozone Mapping Profiler Suite Limb Profiler (OMPS-LP, 2012 to present). Our approach builds on the established assimilation methodology used for MLS in MERRA-2 and, in the case of OMPS-LP, extends the excellent record of MLS ozone assimilation into the post-EOS era in Earth observations. We will show case studies, discuss comparisons of the new experiments with MERRA-2, strategies for bias correction and the potential for combined assimilation of multiple limb ozone data types in future reanalyses for studies of multidecadal stratospheric ozone changes including trends.

Total ozone observation by sun photometry at Arosa, Switzerland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staehelin, Johannes; Schill, Herbert; Hoegger, Bruno; Viatte, Pierre; Levrat, Gilbert; Gamma, Adrian

1995-07-01

The method used for ground-based total ozone observations and the design of two instruments used to monitor atmospheric total ozone at Arosa (Dobson spectrophotometer and Brewer spectrometer) are briefly described. Two different procedures of the calibration of the Dobson spectrometer, both based on the Langley plot method, are presented. Data quality problems that occured in recent years in the measurements of one Dobson instrument at Arosa are discussed, and two different methods to reassess total ozone observations are compared. Two partially automated Dobson spectrophotometers and two completely automated Brewer spectrometers are currently in operation at Arosa. Careful comparison of the results of the measurements of the different instruments yields valuable information of possible small long- term drifts of the instruments involved in the operational measurements.

On the Size of the Antarctic Ozone Hole

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Paul A.; Nash, Eric R.; Kawa, S. Randolph

2002-01-01

The Antarctic ozone hole is a region of extremely large ozone depletion that is roughly centered over the South Pole. Since 1979, the area coverage of the ozone hole has grown from near zero size to over 24 Million sq km. In the 8-year period from 1981 to 1989, the area expanded by 18 Million sq km. During the last 5 years, the hole has been observed to exceed 25 Million sq km over brief periods. In the spring of 2002, the size of the ozone hole barely reached 20 Million sq km for only a couple of days. We will review these size observations, the size trends, and the interannual variability of the size. The area is derived from the area enclosed by the 220 DU total ozone contour. We will discuss the rationale for the choice of 220 DU: 1) it is located near the steep gradient between southern mid-latitudes and the polar region, and 2) 220 DU is a value that is lower than the pre-1979 ozone observations over Antarctica during the spring period. The phenomenal growth of the ozone hole was directly caused by the increases of chlorine and bromine compounds in the stratosphere. In this talk, we will show the relationship of the ozone hole's size to the interannual variability of Antarctic spring temperatures. In addition, we will show the relationship of these same temperatures to planetary-scale wave forcings.

Observational Diagnoses of Extratropical Ozone STE from 2005-2010

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olsen, Mark A.; Douglass, Anne R.; Witte, Jacquie C.; Kaplan, Trevor B.

2011-01-01

The transport of ozone from the stratosphere to the extratropical troposphere is an important boundary condition to tropospheric chemistry. However, previous direct estimates from models and indirect estimates from observations have poorly constrained the magnitude of ozone stratosphere-troposphere exchange (STE). In this study we provide a direct diagnosis of the extratropical ozone STE using data from the Microwave Limb Sounder on Aura and output of the MERRA reanalysis over the time period from 2005 to the present. We find that the mean annual STE is about 275 Tg yr-1 and 205 Tg yr-1 in the NH and SH, respectively. The interannual variability of the magnitude is about twice as great in the NH than the SH. This variability is dominated by the seasonal variability during the late winter and spring. A comparison of the ozone flux to the mass flux reveals that there is not a simple relationship between the two quantities. This presentation will also examine the magnitude and distribution of ozone in the lower stratosphere relative to the years of maximum and minimum ozone STE

Ozone destruction through heterogeneous chemistry following the eruption of El Chichon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hofmann, David J.; Solomon, Susan

1989-01-01

The results of ozone observations at northern midlatitudes in late 1982 through 1983, following the eruption of El Chichon are discussed, together with the observations of other trace gases which may be linked to possible variations in ozone chemistry. These results are related to the in situ aerosol observations following the El Chicon eruption, with particular attention given to data relevant to heterogeneous reactions, such as the aerosol surface area and weight percent H2SO4. It is shown that, at midlatitudes, the observed volcanic-particle surface area reached a maximum of about 50 sq microns/cu m (above a typical background value of about 0.75) at an altitude of 18-20 km in early 1983; this enhancement of surface area is about the same as that encountered in stratospheric clouds in the Antarctic, suggesting a possible basis for ozone depletion through heterogeneous chemistry. The fraction of ozone reduction that may have occurred as a result of heterogeneous chemicl effects is estimated.

Tropospheric ozone over the North Pacific from ozonesonde observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oltmans, S. J.; Johnson, B. J.; Harris, J. M.; Thompson, A. M.; Liu, H. Y.; Chan, C. Y.; VöMel, H.; Fujimoto, T.; Brackett, V. G.; Chang, W. L.; Chen, J.-P.; Kim, J. H.; Chan, L. Y.; Chang, H.-W.

2004-08-01

As part of the Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P) mission, ozonesondes were used to make ozone vertical profile measurements at nine locations in the North Pacific. At most of the sites there is a multiyear record of observations. From locations in the western Pacific (Hong Kong; Taipei; Jeju Island, Korea; and Naha, Kagoshima, Tsukuba, and Sapporo, Japan), a site in the central Pacific (Hilo, Hawaii), and a site on the west coast of the United States (Trinidad Head, California) both a seasonal and event specific picture of tropospheric ozone over the North Pacific emerges. Ozone profiles over the North Pacific generally show a prominent spring maximum throughout the troposphere. This maximum is tied to the location of the jet stream and its influence on stratosphere-troposphere exchange and the increase in photochemical ozone production through the spring. Prominent layers of enhanced ozone in the middle and upper troposphere north of about 30°N seem to be more closely tied to stratospheric intrusions while biomass burning leads to layers of enhanced ozone in the lower and upper troposphere at Hong Kong (22°N) and Taipei (25°N). The lower free tropospheric layers at Hong Kong are associated with burning in SE Asia, but the upper layer may be associated with either equatorial Northern Hemisphere burning in Africa or SE Asian biomass burning. In the boundary layer at Taipei very high mixing ratios of ozone were observed that result from pollution transport from China in the spring and local urban pollution during the summer. At the ozonesonde site near Tokyo (Tsukuba, 36°N) very large enhancements of ozone are seen in the boundary layer in the summer that are characteristic of urban air pollution. At sites in the mid and eastern Pacific the signature of transport of polluted air from Asia is not readily identifiable from the ozonesonde profile. This is likely due to the more subtle signal and the fact that from the ozone profile and

The Response of Ozone and Nitrogen Dioxide to the Eruption of Mt. Pinatubo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aquila, Valentina; Oman, Luke D.; Stolarski, R.; Douglass, A. R.; Newman, P. A.

2012-01-01

Observations have shown that the global mass of nitrogen dioxide decreased in both hemispheres in the year following the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. In contrast, the observed ozone response was largely asymmetrical with respect to the equator, with a decrease in the northern hemisphere and little change and even a small increase in the southern hemisphere. Simulations including enhanced heterogeneous chemistry due to the presence of the volcanic aerosol reproduce a decrease of ozone in the northern hemisphere, but also produce a comparable ozone decrease in the southern hemisphere, contrary to observations. Our simulations show that the heating due to the volcanic aerosol enhanced both the tropical upwelling and the extratropical downwelling. The enhanced extratropical downwelling, combined with the time of the eruption relative to the phase of the Brewer-Dobson circulation, increased the ozone in the southern hemisphere and counteracted the ozone depletion due to heterogeneous chemistry on volcanic aerosol.

The Response of Ozone and Nitrogen Dioxide to the Eruption of Mount Pinatubo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aquila. Valentina; Oman, Luke D.; Stolarsk, Richard S.; Douglass, Anne R.; Newman, Paul A.

2012-01-01

Observations have shown that the global mass of nitrogen dioxide decreased in both hemispheres in the year following the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, indicating an enhanced heterogeneous chemistry. In contrast, the observed ozone response was largely asymmetrical with respect to the equator, with a decrease in the northern hemisphere and little change in the southern hemisphere. Simulations including enhanced heterogeneous chemistry due to the presence of the volcanic aerosol reproduce a decrease of ozone in the northern hemisphere, but also produce a comparable ozone decrease in the southern hemisphere, contrary to observations. Our simulations show that the heating due to the volcanic aerosol enhanced both the tropical upwelling and the extratropical downwelling. The enhanced extratropical downwelling, combined with the time of the eruption relative to the phase of the Brewer-Dobson circulation, increased the ozone in the southern hemisphere and counteracted the ozone depletion due to heterogeneous chemistry on volcanic aerosol.

Have we underestimated the role of short-lived chlorine compounds in ozone depletion?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oram, David; Laube, Johannes; Sturges, Bill; Gooch, Lauren; Leedham, Emma; Ashfold, Matthew; Pyle, John; Abu Samah, Azizan; Moi Phang, Siew; Ou-Yang, Chang-Feng; Lin, Neng-Huei; Wang, Jia-Lin; Brenninkmeijer, Carl

2015-04-01

In recent years much attention has been focussed on the potential of bromine-containing VSLS (very short lived substances) to contribute to stratospheric ozone depletion. This is primarily due to the large observed discrepancy between the measured inorganic bromine in the stratosphere and the amount of bromine available from known, longer lived sources gases (halons and CH3Br). In contrast, the role of very short-lived chlorine compounds (VSLS-CL) has been considered trivial because they contribute only a few percent to the total organic chlorine in the troposphere, the majority of which is supplied by long-lived compounds such as the CFCs, HCFCs, methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride. However recent evidence shows that one VSLS-Cl, dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) has increased by 60% over the past decade (WMO, 2014) and has already begun to offset the long-term decline in stratospheric chlorine loading caused by the reduction in emissions of substances controlled by the Montreal Protocol. We will present new VSLS-Cl measurements from recent ground-based and aircraft campaigns in SE Asia where we have observed dramatic enhancements in a number of VSLS-Cl, including CH2Cl2. Furthermore we will demonstrate how pollution from China and the surrounding region can rapidly, and regularly, be transported across the South China Sea and subsequently uplifted to altitudes of 11-12 km, the region close to the lower TTL. This process occurs frequently during the winter monsoon season and could represent a fast and efficient mechanism for transporting short-lived compounds, and other pollutants, to the lower stratosphere.

Impact of biogenic very short-lived bromine on the Antarctic ozone hole during the 21st century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez, Rafael Pedro; Kinnison, Douglas E.; Lamarque, Jean-Francois; Tilmes, Simone; Saiz-Lopez, Alfonso

2017-04-01

Active bromine released from the photochemical decomposition of biogenic very short-lived bromocarbons (VSLBr) enhances stratospheric ozone depletion. Based on a dual set of 1960-2100 coupled chemistry-climate simulations (i.e. with and without VSLBr), we show that the maximum Antarctic ozone hole depletion increases by up to 14% when natural VSLBr are considered, in better agreement with ozone observations. The impact of the additional 5 pptv VSLBr on Antarctic ozone is most evident in the periphery of the ozone hole, producing an expansion of the ozone hole area of 5 million km2, which is equivalent in magnitude to the recently estimated Antarctic ozone healing due to the implementation of the Montreal Protocol. We find that the inclusion of VSLBr in CAM-Chem does not introduce a significant delay of the modelled ozone return date to 1980 October levels, but instead affect the depth and duration of the simulated ozone hole. Our analysis further shows that total bromine-catalysed ozone destruction in the lower stratosphere surpasses that of chlorine by year 2070, and indicates that natural VSLBr chemistry would dominate Antarctic ozone seasonality before the end of the 21st century. This work suggests a large influence of biogenic bromine on the future Antarctic ozone layer.

Big Ozone Holes Headed For Extinction By 2040

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-06

Caption: This is a conceptual animation showing ozone-depleting chemicals moving from the equator to the poles. The chemicals become trapped by the winds of the polar vortex, a ring of fast moving air that circles the South Pole. Watch full video: youtu.be/7n2km69jZu8 -- The next three decades will see an end of the era of big ozone holes. In a new study, scientists from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center say that the ozone hole will be consistently smaller than 12 million square miles by the year 2040. Ozone-depleting chemicals in the atmosphere cause an ozone hole to form over Antarctica during the winter months in the Southern Hemisphere. Since the Montreal Protocol agreement in 1987, emissions have been regulated and chemical levels have been declining. However, the ozone hole has still remained bigger than 12 million square miles since the early 1990s, with exact sizes varying from year to year. The size of the ozone hole varies due to both temperature and levels of ozone-depleting chemicals in the atmosphere. In order to get a more accurate picture of the future size of the ozone hole, scientists used NASA’s AURA satellite to determine how much the levels of these chemicals in the atmosphere varied each year. With this new knowledge, scientists can confidently say that the ozone hole will be consistently smaller than 12 million square miles by the year 2040. Scientists will continue to use satellites to monitor the recovery of the ozone hole and they hope to see its full recovery by the end of the century. Research: Inorganic chlorine variability in the Antarctic vortex and implications for ozone recovery. Journal: Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, December 18, 2014. Link to paper: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2014JD022295/abstract.

Ozone vertical profile changes over South Pole

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oltmans, S. J.; Hofmann, D. J.; Komhyr, W. D.; Lathrop, J. A.

1994-01-01

Important changes in the ozone vertical profile over South Pole, Antarctica have occurred both during the recent period of measurements, 1986-1991, and since an earlier set of soundings was carried out from 1967-1971. From the onset of the 'ozone hole' over Antarctica in the early 1980s, there has been a tendency for years with lower spring ozone amounts to alternate with years with somewhat higher (although still depleted) ozone amounts. Beginning in 1989 there have been three consecutive years of strong depletion although the timing of the breakdown of the vortex has varied from year to year. Comparison of the vertical profiles between the two periods of study reveals the dramatic decreases in the ozone amounts in the stratosphere between 15-21 km during the spring. In addition, it appears that summer values are also now much lower in this altitude region.

Concept Formation in Environmental Education: 14-Year Olds' Work on the Intensified Greenhouse Effect and the Depletion of the Ozone Layer. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osterlind, Karolina

2005-01-01

A case study is presented describing the work of three pupils in the upper level of compulsory school. The pupils were learning about the intensified greenhouse effect and the depletion of the ozone layer. In their work, the need for certain domain-specific knowledge becomes apparent; for example, understanding such concepts as photosynthesis,…

From LIMS to OMPS-LP: limb ozone observations for future reanalyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wargan, K.; Kramarova, N. A.; Remsberg, E. E.; Coy, L.; Harvey, L.; Livesey, N. J.; Pawson, S.

2017-12-01

High vertical resolution and accuracy of ozone data from satellite-borne limb sounders have made them an invaluable tool in scientific studies of the middle and upper atmosphere. However, it was not until recently that these measurements were successfully incorporated in atmospheric reanalyses: of the major multidecadal reanalyses only ECMWF's ERA-Interim/ERA5 and NASA's MERRA-2 use limb ozone data. Validation and comparison studies have demonstrated that the addition of observations from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on EOS Aura greatly improved the quality of ozone fields in MERRA-2 making these assimilated data sets useful for scientific research. In this presentation, we will show the results of test experiments assimilating retrieved ozone from the Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS, 1978/1979) and Ozone Mapping Profiler Suite Limb Profiler (OMPS-LP, 2012 to present). Our approach builds on the established assimilation methodology used for MLS in MERRA-2 and, in the case of OMPS-LP, extends the excellent record of MLS ozone assimilation into the post-EOS era in Earth observations. We will show case studies, discuss comparisons of the new experiments with MERRA-2, strategies for bias correction and the potential for combined assimilation of multiple limb ozone data types in future reanalyses for studies of multidecadal stratospheric ozone changes including trends.

Causes and effects of a hole. [in Antarctic ozone layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Margitan, J. J.

1987-01-01

Preliminary results from the U.S. National Ozone Expedition (NOZE) to Antarctica are reviewed. The NOZE ozonesonde measurements showed significant vertical structure in the hole, with 80 percent depletion in some of the 1 km layers but only 20 percent in adjacent layers. The depletion was confined to the 12-20 km region, beginning first at higher altitude and progressing downward. This is strong evidence against the theory that the ozone hole is due to solar activity producing odd nitrogen at high altitudes which is transported downwards, leading to enhanced odd-nitrogen catalytic cycles that destroy ozone. Nitrous oxide data show unusually low concentrations within the polar vortex, which is evidence against the theory that the hole is caused by a purely dynamical mechanism in which rising air motions within the polar vortex lead to reduced column densities of ozone. It is tentatively concluded that a chemical mechanism involving man-made chlorofluorocarbons is the likely cause of ozone depletion in the hole.

The effects of greenhouse gases on the Antarctic ozone hole in the past, present, and future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, P. A.; Li, F.; Lait, L. R.; Oman, L.

2017-12-01

The Antarctic ozone hole is primarily caused by human-produced ozone depleting substances such as chlorine-containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and bromine-containing halons. The large ozone spring-time depletion relies on the very-cold conditions of the Antarctic lower stratosphere, and the general containment of air by the polar night jet over Antarctica. Here we show the Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry Climate Model (GEOSCCM) coupled ocean-atmosphere-chemistry model for exploring the impact of increasing greenhouse gases (GHGs). Model simulations covering the 1960-2010 period are shown for: 1) a control ensemble with observed levels of ODSs and GHGs, 2) an ensemble with fixed 1960 GHG concentrations, and 3) an ensemble with fixed 1960 ODS levels. We look at a similar set of simulations (control, 2005 fixed GHG levels, and 2005 fixed ODS levels) with a new version of GEOSCCM over the period 2005-2100. These future simulations show that the decrease of ODSs leads to similar ozone recovery for both the control run and the fixed GHG scenarios, in spite of GHG forced changes to stratospheric ozone levels. These simulations demonstrate that GHG levels will have major impacts on the stratosphere by 2100, but have only small impacts on the Antarctic ozone hole.

How to most effectively expand the global surface ozone observing network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sofen, E. D.; Bowdalo, D.; Evans, M. J.

2016-02-01

Surface ozone observations with modern instrumentation have been made around the world for more than 40 years. Some of these observations have been made as one-off activities with short-term, specific science objectives and some have been made as part of wider networks which have provided a foundational infrastructure of data collection, calibration, quality control, and dissemination. These observations provide a fundamental underpinning to our understanding of tropospheric chemistry, air quality policy, atmosphere-biosphere interactions, etc. brought together eight of these networks to provide a single data set of surface ozone observations. We investigate how representative this combined data set is of global surface ozone using the output from a global atmospheric chemistry model. We estimate that on an area basis, 25 % of the globe is observed (34 % land, 21 % ocean). Whereas Europe and North America have almost complete coverage, other continents, Africa, South America, Australia, and Asia (12-17 %) show significant gaps. Antarctica is surprisingly well observed (78 %). Little monitoring occurs over the oceans, with the tropical and southern oceans particularly poorly represented. The surface ozone over key biomes such as tropical forests and savanna is almost completely unmonitored. A chemical cluster analysis suggests that a significant number of observations are made of polluted air masses, but cleaner air masses whether over the land or ocean (especially again in the tropics) are significantly under-observed. The current network is unlikely to see the impact of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) but may be capable of detecting other planetary-scale signals. Model assessment and validation activities are hampered by a lack of observations in regions where the models differ substantially, as is the ability to monitor likely changes in surface ozone over the next century. Using our methodology we are able to suggest new sites which

Satellite Observations of Enhanced Tropospheric Ozone Associated with Biomass Burning in Africa and Madagascar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aikin, A. C.; Ziemke, J. R.; Thorpe, A.; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Tropospheric ozone over Africa and Madagascar is enhanced by 10 to 15 DU in October. This maximum coincides with the time of maximum biomass area burning in Africa and Madagascar. Ozone observations were made from 1979 to 1999 using the TOMS tropospheric ozone convective cloud differential method. As a result of easterly trade winds, ozone originating on Madagascar is transported to the west over the Mozambique Channel. In El Nino years higher level westerly winds descend to transport low level ozone easterly. This results in African continental ozone being transported east of Madagascar. Long range transport of African ozone is observed during El Nino periods.

Observed ozone response to variations in solar ultraviolet radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gille, J. C.; Smythe, C. M.; Heath, D. F.

1984-01-01

During the winter of 1979, the solar ultraviolet irradiance varied with a period of 13.5 days and an amplitude of 1 percent. The zonal mean ozone values in the tropics varied with the solar irradiance, with an amplitude of 0.25 to 0.60 percent. This observation agrees with earlier calculations, although the response may be overestimated. These results imply changes in ozone at an altitude of 48 kilometers of up to 12 percent over an 11-year solar cycle. Interpretation of ozone changes in the upper stratosphere will require measurements of solar ultraviolet radiation at wavelengths near 200 nanometers.

Massive global ozone loss predicted following regional nuclear conflict

PubMed Central

Mills, Michael J.; Toon, Owen B.; Turco, Richard P.; Kinnison, Douglas E.; Garcia, Rolando R.

2008-01-01

We use a chemistry-climate model and new estimates of smoke produced by fires in contemporary cities to calculate the impact on stratospheric ozone of a regional nuclear war between developing nuclear states involving 100 Hiroshima-size bombs exploded in cities in the northern subtropics. We find column ozone losses in excess of 20% globally, 25–45% at midlatitudes, and 50–70% at northern high latitudes persisting for 5 years, with substantial losses continuing for 5 additional years. Column ozone amounts remain near or <220 Dobson units at all latitudes even after three years, constituting an extratropical “ozone hole.” The resulting increases in UV radiation could impact the biota significantly, including serious consequences for human health. The primary cause for the dramatic and persistent ozone depletion is heating of the stratosphere by smoke, which strongly absorbs solar radiation. The smoke-laden air rises to the upper stratosphere, where removal mechanisms are slow, so that much of the stratosphere is ultimately heated by the localized smoke injections. Higher stratospheric temperatures accelerate catalytic reaction cycles, particularly those of odd-nitrogen, which destroy ozone. In addition, the strong convection created by rising smoke plumes alters the stratospheric circulation, redistributing ozone and the sources of ozone-depleting gases, including N2O and chlorofluorocarbons. The ozone losses predicted here are significantly greater than previous “nuclear winter/UV spring” calculations, which did not adequately represent stratospheric plume rise. Our results point to previously unrecognized mechanisms for stratospheric ozone depletion. PMID:18391218

Snapshot of the Antarctic Ozone Hole 2010

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Image acquired September 12, 2010 The yearly depletion of stratospheric ozone over Antarctica – more commonly referred to as the “ozone hole” – started in early August 2010 and is now expanding toward its annual maximum. The hole in the ozone layer typically reaches its maximum area in late September or early October, though atmospheric scientists must wait a few weeks after the maximum to pinpoint when the trend of ozone depletion has slowed down and reversed. The hole isn’t literal; no part of the stratosphere — the second layer of the atmosphere, between 8 and 50 km (5 and 31 miles) — is empty of ozone. Scientists use "hole" as a metaphor for the area in which ozone concentrations drop below the historical threshold of 220 Dobson Units. Historical levels of ozone were much higher than 220 Dobson Units, according to NASA atmospheric scientist Paul Newman, so this value shows a very large ozone loss. Earth's ozone layer protects life by absorbing ultraviolet light, which damages DNA in plants and animals (including humans) and leads to skin cancer. The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA’s Aura satellite acquired data for this map of ozone concentrations over Antarctica on September 12, 2010. OMI is a spectrometer that measures the amount of sunlight scattered by Earth’s atmosphere and surface, allowing scientists to assess how much ozone is present at various altitudes — particularly the stratosphere — and near the ground. So far in 2010, the size and depth of the ozone hole has been slightly below the average for 1979 to 2009, likely because of warmer temperatures in the stratosphere over the far southern hemisphere. However, even slight changes in the meteorology of the region this month could affect the rate of depletion of ozone and how large an area the ozone hole might span. You can follow the progress of the ozone hole by visiting NASA’s Ozone Hole Watch page. September 16 is the International Day for the Preservation of the

Variation of mesospheric ozone during the highly relativistic electron event in May 1992 as measured by the High Resolution Doppler Imager instrument on UARS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pesnell, W. Dean; Goldberg, Richard A.; Jackman, Charles H.; Chenette, D. L.; Gaines, E. E.

2000-10-01

Highly relativistic electron precipitation events (HREs) include long-lived enhancements of the flux of electrons with E>1MeV into the Earth's atmosphere. HREs also contain increased fluxes of electrons with energies above 100 keV that have been predicted to cause large depletions of mesospheric ozone. For some of the measured instantaneous values of the electron fluxes during the HRE of May 1992, relative depletions greater than 22% were predicted to occur between altitudes of 55 and 80 km, where HOx reactions cause local minima in both the ozone number density and mixing ratio altitude profiles. These ozone depletions should follow the horizontal distribution of the electron precipitation, having a distinct boundary equatorward of the L=3 magnetic shell. To search for these effects, we have analyzed ozone data from the High Resolution Doppler Imager (HRDI) instrument on UARS. Owing to the multiple, off-track viewing angles of HRDI, observations in the region affected by the electrons are taken at similar local solar times before, during, and after the electron flux increase. Our analysis limits the relative ozone depletion to values <10% during the very intense May 1992 HRE. We do observe decreases in the ozone mixing ratio at several points in the diurnal cycle that may be associated with the transport of water vapor into the mesosphere during May 1992. This masking of the precipitating electron effects by the seasonal variations in water vapor can complicate the detection of those effects.

Ozone Measurements in the Mesosphere During a Solar Proton Event

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lippert, W.; Felske, D.

1984-01-01

Charged particle precipitation in the Earth's atmosphere produces odd nitrogen and odd hydrogen. These species take part in catalytic reactions which destroy atmospheric ozone in the stratosphere and mesosphere. Modeling efforts regarding the impact of these ionization events on the neutral atmosphere describe ozone depletions in good agreement with observations in the stratosphere and mesosphere. The photochemical effects of the solar proton event (SPE) of August 1972 are discussed, and calculations for higher altitudes (70 to 90 km) are presented that indicate after a brief reduction during and immediately following intense particle precipitation, ozone will later reach higher concentrations than those present before the event.

Changes in air quality and tropospheric composition due to depletion of stratospheric ozone and interactions with changing climate: implications for human and environmental health.

PubMed

Madronich, S; Shao, M; Wilson, S R; Solomon, K R; Longstreth, J D; Tang, X Y

2015-01-01

local scale, ˙OH radicals respond rapidly to changes in UV radiation. However, on large (global) scales, models differ in their predictions by nearly a factor of two, with consequent uncertainties for estimating the atmospheric lifetime and concentrations of key greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Projections of future climate need to consider these uncertainties. No new negative environmental effects of substitutes for ozone depleting substances or their breakdown-products have been identified. However, some substitutes for the ozone depleting substances will continue to contribute to global climate change if concentrations rise above current levels.

Observational Diagnoses of Extratropical Ozone STE During the Aura Era

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olsen, Mark A.; Douglass, Anne R.; Witte, Jacquie C.; Kaplan, Trevor B.

2011-01-01

The transport of ozone from the stratosphere to the extratropical troposphere is an important boundary condition to tropospheric chemistry. However, previous direct estimates from models and indirect estimates from observations have poorly constrained the magnitude of ozone stratosphere-troposphere exchange (STE). In this study we provide a direct diagnosis of the extratropical ozone STE using data from the Microwave Limb Sounder on Aura and output of the MERRA reanalysis over the time period from 2005 to the present. We find that the mean annual STE is about 275 Tg/yr and 205 Tg/yr in the NH and SH, respectively. The interannual variability of the magnitude is about twice as great in the NH than the SH. We find that this variability is dominated by the seasonal variability during the late winter and spring. A comparison of the ozone flux to the mass flux reveals that there is not a simple relationship between the two quantities. This presentation will also examine the magnitude and distribution of ozone in the lower stratosphere relative to the years of maximum and minimum ozone STE. Finally, we will examine any possible signature of increased ozone STE in the troposphere using sonde and tropospheric ozone residual (TOR) data, and output from the Global Modeling Initiative Chemistry Transport Model (GMI CTM).

The influence of ozone forcing on blocking in the Southern Hemisphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennison, Fraser W.; McDonald, Adrian; Morgenstern, Olaf

2016-12-01

We investigate the influence of ozone depletion and recovery on tropospheric blocking in the Southern Hemisphere. Blocking events are identified using a persistent positive anomaly method applied to 500 hPa geopotential height. Using the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research-United Kingdom Chemistry and Aerosols chemistry-climate model, we compare reference runs that include forcing due to greenhouse gases (GHGs) and ozone-depleting substances to sensitivity simulations in which ozone-depleting substances are fixed at their 1960 abundances and other sensitivity simulations with GHGs fixed at their 1960 abundances. Blocking events in the South Atlantic are shown to follow stratospheric positive anomalies in the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) index; this is not the case for South Pacific blocking events. This relationship means that summer ozone depletion, and corresponding positive SAM anomalies, leads to an increased frequency of blocking in the South Atlantic while having little effect in the South Pacific. Similarly, ozone recovery, having the opposite effect on the SAM, leads to a decline in blocking frequency in the South Atlantic, although this may be somewhat counteracted by the effect of increasing GHGs.

Impact of biogenic very short-lived bromine on the Antarctic ozone hole during the 21st century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez, Rafael P.; Kinnison, Douglas E.; Lamarque, Jean-Francois; Tilmes, Simone; Saiz-Lopez, Alfonso

2017-02-01

Active bromine released from the photochemical decomposition of biogenic very short-lived bromocarbons (VSLBr) enhances stratospheric ozone depletion. Based on a dual set of 1960-2100 coupled chemistry-climate simulations (i.e. with and without VSLBr), we show that the maximum Antarctic ozone hole depletion increases by up to 14 % when natural VSLBr are considered, which is in better agreement with ozone observations. The impact of the additional 5 pptv VSLBr on Antarctic ozone is most evident in the periphery of the ozone hole, producing an expansion of the ozone hole area of ˜ 5 million km2, which is equivalent in magnitude to the recently estimated Antarctic ozone healing due to the implementation of the Montreal Protocol. We find that the inclusion of VSLBr in CAM-Chem (Community Atmosphere Model with Chemistry, version 4.0) does not introduce a significant delay of the modelled ozone return date to 1980 October levels, but instead affects the depth and duration of the simulated ozone hole. Our analysis further shows that total bromine-catalysed ozone destruction in the lower stratosphere surpasses that of chlorine by the year 2070 and indicates that natural VSLBr chemistry would dominate Antarctic ozone seasonality before the end of the 21st century. This work suggests a large influence of biogenic bromine on the future Antarctic ozone layer.

Environmental effects of ozone depletion and its interactions with climate change: progress report, 2015.

PubMed

2016-02-01

The Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) is one of three Panels that regularly informs the Parties (countries) to the Montreal Protocol on the effects of ozone depletion and the consequences of climate change interactions with respect to human health, animals, plants, biogeochemistry, air quality, and materials. The Panels provide a detailed assessment report every four years. The most recent 2014 Quadrennial Assessment by the EEAP was published as a special issue of seven papers in 2015 (Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2015, 14, 1-184). The next Quadrennial Assessment will be published in 2018/2019. In the interim, the EEAP generally produces an annual update or progress report of the relevant scientific findings. The present progress report for 2015 assesses some of the highlights and new insights with regard to the interactive nature of the effects of UV radiation, atmospheric processes, and climate change.

Global implications of ozone loss in a space shuttle wake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danilin, Michael Y.; Ko, Malcolm K. W.; Weisenstein, Debra K.

2001-02-01

Existing global model calculations of ozone depletion due to solid-fueled rocket motor (SRM) launches [Prather et al., 1990; Jackman et al., 1998] take into account the effect of globally dispersed chlorine emissions and ignore the ozone loss in the rocket wake. This ozone depletion in the wake could be substantial (up to 100% in the lower stratosphere during the first hour after exhaust [Ross et al., 1997a, 2000]). In this paper, we provide an estimate of whether wake ozone loss could accumulate after each SRM launch, leading to a larger ozone depletion on the global scale. To address this issue, we estimate an upper bound of the ozone loss in a space shuttle wake and use the Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc. two-dimensional model to simulate the global effect. For the scenarios considered, the global impact of the localized ozone loss in the wakes is at least an order of magnitude less than the effects from global dispersion of the SRM chlorine emissions alone (on the order of 10-3-10-4% versus 10-2% in the ozone column near 30°N). Additional sensitivity studies performed for different wake dilution rates, seasons, locations, and local times of the shuttle launches and accounting for chlorine activation via ClONO2 + HCl → Cl2 + HNO3 on alumina particles did not change this conclusion.

Total Ozone Observations at Arosa (Switzerland) by Dobson and Brewer: Temperature and Ozone Slant Path Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scarnato, B.; Staehelin, J.; Groebner, J.

2008-12-01

Dobson and Brewer spectrophotometers are the main ground based instruments used to monitor the ozone layer. Early total ozone (TOZ) measurements were made primarily with Dobson instruments; however, there has been a trend over the last years to replace them by the newer, more advanced Brewer spectrophotometer. Given this transition, it is of utmost importance to assure the homogeneity of the data taken with these two distinct instruments types if total ozone (TOZ) changes over long time periods are to be diagnosed accurately. Previous studies have identified a seasonal bias of few percentage from Brewer and Dobson spectrophotometers measurements at mid-latitudes. At Arosa (Switzerland), two Dobson and three Brewers instruments have been co-located since 1998, producing a unique dataset of quasi-simultaneous observations valuable for the study of systematic differences between these measurements. The differences can be at least partially attributed to seasonal variability in the atmospheric temperature and the ozone slant path. The effective temperature sensitivity of the ozone cross section has been calculated using different reference spectra, at high and low resolution, weighting of the slit functions for each operational Brewer and for the primary standard Dobson spectrophotometers. If one takes into account the temperature dependence of the [Bass, 1985] ozone absorption spectra (current remote sensing standard) and the ozone slant path effect, the seasonal bias between Dobson and Brewer TOZ measurements is reduced from an amplitude of about 2% to less than 0.5%. The use of different ozone laboratory spectra yields different results in retrieved TOZ, because of the sensitivity of the retrieval algorithms and uncertainties in the experimental ozone cross section measurements.

Long-term tropospheric and lower stratospheric ozone variations from ozonesonde observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

London, J.; Liu, S. C.

1992-01-01

An analysis is presented of the long-term mean pressure-latitude seasonal distribution of tropospheric and lower stratospheric ozone for the four seasons covering, in part, over 20 years of ozonesonde data. The observed patterns show minimum ozone mixing ratios in the equatorial and tropical troposphere except in regions where net photochemical production is dominant. In the middle and upper troposphere, and low stratosphere to 50 mb, ozone increases from the tropics to subpolar latitudes of both hemispheres. In mid stratosphere, the ozone mixing ratio is a maximum over the tropics. The observed vertical ozone gradient is small in the troposphere but increases rapidly above the tropopause. The amplitude of the annual variation increases from a minimum in the tropics to a maximum in polar regions. Also, the amplitude increases with height at all latitudes up to about 30 mb where the phase of the annual variation changes abruptly. The phase of the annual variation is during spring in the boundary layer, summer in mid troposphere, and spring in the upper troposhere and lower stratosphere.

The latitudinal distribution of ozone to 35 km altitude from ECC ozonesonde observations, 1982-1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Komhyr, W. D.; Oltmans, S. J.; Lathrop, J. A.; Kerr, J. B.; Matthews, W. A.

1994-01-01

Electrochemical concentration cell (ECC) ozone-sonde observations, made in recent years at ten stations whose locations range from the Arctic to Antarctica, have yielded a self-consistent ozone data base from which mean seasonal and annual latitudinal ozone vertical distributions to 35 km have been derived. Ozone measurement uncertainties are estimated, and results are presented in the Bass-Paur (1985) ozone absorption coefficient scale adopted for use with Dobson ozone spectrophotometers January 1, 1992. The data should be useful for comparison with model calculations of the global distribution of atmospheric ozone, for serving as apriori statistical information in deriving ozone vertical distributions from satellite and Umkehr observations, and for improving the satellite and Umkehr ozone inversion algorithms. Attention is drawn to similar results based on a less comprehensive data set published in Ozone in the Atmosphere, Proceedings of the 1988 Quadrennial Ozone Symposium where errors in data tabulations occurred for three of the stations due to inadvertent transposition of ozone partial pressure and air temperature values.

Constraining global dry deposition of ozone: observations and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, S. J.; Heald, C. L.

2016-12-01

Ozone loss through dry deposition to vegetation is a critically important process for both air quality and ecosystem health. Current estimates are that nearly 25% of all surface ozone is destroyed through dry deposition, and billions of dollars are lost annually due to losses of ecosystem services and agricultural yield associated with ozone damage. However there are still substantial uncertainties regarding the spatial distribution and magnitude of the global depositional flux. As land cover change continues throughout this century, dry deposition of ozone will change in ways that are yet still poorly understood. Nearly every major atmospheric chemistry model uses a variation of the "resistor in series parameterization" for the calculation of dry deposition. By far the most commonly implemented parameterization is of the form presented in Wesely (1989), and is dependent on many variables, including land type look up tables, solar radiation, leaf area index, temperature, and more. The uncertainties contained within the various parts of this parameterization have to date not been fully explored. A lack of understanding of these uncertainties, coupled with a dearth of routine measurements of ozone deposition, ultimately challenges our ability to understand the impacts of land cover change on surface ozone. In this work, we use a suite of globally-distributed observations from the past two decades and the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model to constrain global dry deposition, improve our understanding of these uncertainties, and contextualize the impact of land cover change on ozone concentrations.

Stratospheric Cooling and Arctic Ozone Recovery. Appendix L

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danilin, Michael Y.; Sze, Nien-Dak; Ko, Malcolm K. W.; Rodriguez, Jose M.; Tabazadeh, Azadeh

1998-01-01

We present sensitivity studies using the AER box model for an idealized parcel in the lower stratosphere at 70 deg N during winter/spring with different assumed stratospheric cooling and chlorine loadings. Our calculations show that stratospheric cooling could further deplete ozone via increased polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) formation and retard its expected recovery even with the projected chlorine loading decrease. We introduce the concept of chlorine-cooling equivalent and show that a 1 K cooling could provide the same local ozone depletion as an increase of chlorine by 0.4 - 0.7 ppbv for the scenarios considered. Thus, sustained stratospheric cooling could further reduce Arctic ozone content and delay the anticipated ozone recovery in the Northern Hemisphere even with the realization of the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments.

Observed and Modeled HOCl Profiles in the Midlatitude Stratosphere: Implication for Ozone Loss

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kovalenko, L. J.; Jucks, K. W.; Salawitch, R. J.; Toon, G. C.; Blavier, J. F.; Johnson, D. G.; Kleinbohl, A.; Livesey, N. J .; Margitan, J. J.; Pickett, H. M.;

Understanding the Laminar Distribution of Tropospheric Ozone from Ground-Based, Airborne, Spaceborne, and Modeling Perspectives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newchurch, Mike; Johnson, Matthew S.; Huang, Guanyu; Kuang, Shi; Wang, Lihua; Chance, Kelly; Liu, Xiong

2016-01-01

Laminar ozone structure is a ubiquitous feature of tropospheric-ozone distributions resulting from dynamic and chemical atmospheric processes. Understanding the characteristics of these ozone laminae and the mechanisms responsible for producing them is important to outline the transport pathways of trace gases and to quantify the impact of different sources on tropospheric background ozone. In this study, we present a new method to detect ozone laminae to understand their climatological characteristics of occurrence frequency in terms of thickness and altitude. We employ both ground-based and airborne ozone lidar measurements and other synergistic observations and modeling to investigate the sources and mechanisms such as biomass burning transport, stratospheric intrusion, lightning-generated NOx, and nocturnal low-level jets that are responsible for depleted or enhanced tropospheric ozone layers. Spaceborne (e.g., OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument), TROPOMI (Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument), TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution)) measurements of these laminae will observe greater horizontal extent and lower vertical resolution than balloon-borne or lidar measurements will quantify. Using integrated ground-based, airborne, and spaceborne observations in a modeling framework affords insight into how to gain knowledge of both the vertical and horizontal evolution of these ubiquitous ozone laminae.

Trends in Surface Level Ozone Observations from Human-health Relevant Metrics: Results from the Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleming, Z. L.; von Schneidemesser, E.; Doherty, R. M.; Malley, C.; Cooper, O. R.; Pinto, J. P.; Colette, A.; Xu, X.; Simpson, D.; Schultz, M.; Hamad, S.; Moola, R.; Solberg, S.; Feng, Z.

2017-12-01

Ozone is an air pollutant formed in the atmosphere from precursor species (NOx, VOCs, CH4, CO) that is detrimental to human health and ecosystems. The global Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR) initiative has assembled a global database of surface ozone observations and generated ozone exposure metrics at thousands of measurement sites around the world. This talk will present results from the assessment focused on those indicators most relevant to human health. Specifically, the trends in ozone, comparing different time periods and patterns across regions and among metrics will be addressed. In addition, the fraction of population exposed to high ozone levels and how this has changed between 2000 and 2014 will also be discussed. The core time period analyzed for trends was 2000-2014, selected to include a greater number of sites in East Asia. Negative trends were most commonly observed at many US and some European sites, whereas many sites in East Asia showed positive trends, while sites in Japan showed more of a mix of positive and negative trends. More than half of the sites showed a common direction and significance in the trends for all five human-health relevant metrics. The peak ozone metrics indicate a reduction in exposure to peak levels of ozone related to photochemical episodes in Europe and the US. A considerable number of European countries and states within the US have shown a decrease in population-weighted ozone over time. The 2000-2014 results will be augmented and compared to the trend analysis for additional time periods that cover a greater number of years, but by necessity are based on fewer sites. Trends are found to be statistically significant at a larger fraction of sites with longer time series, compared to the shorter (2000-2014) time series.

Impact of Stratospheric Ozone Zonal Asymmetries on the Tropospheric Circulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tweedy, Olga; Waugh, Darryn; Li, Feng; Oman, Luke

2015-01-01

The depletion and recovery of Antarctic ozone plays a major role in changes of Southern Hemisphere (SH) tropospheric climate. Recent studies indicate that the lack of polar ozone asymmetries in chemistry climate models (CCM) leads to a weaker and warmer Antarctic vortex, and smaller trends in the tropospheric mid-latitude jet and the surface pressure. However, the tropospheric response to ozone asymmetries is not well understood. In this study we report on a series of integrations of the Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry Climate Model (GEOS CCM) to further examine the effect of zonal asymmetries on the state of the stratosphere and troposphere. Integrations with the full, interactive stratospheric chemistry are compared against identical simulations using the same CCM except that (1) the monthly mean zonal mean stratospheric ozone from first simulation is prescribed and (2) ozone is relaxed to the monthly mean zonal mean ozone on a three day time scale. To analyze the tropospheric response to ozone asymmetries, we examine trends and quantify the differences in temperatures, zonal wind and surface pressure among the integrations.

[Observation of ozone dry deposition in the field of winter wheat.

PubMed

Li, Shuo; Zheng, You Fei; Wu, Rong Jun; Yin, Ji Fu; Xu, Jing Xin; Zhao, Hui; Sun, Jian

2016-06-01

Ozone is one of the main atmospheric pollutants over surface layer, and its increasing surface ozone concentration and its impact on main crops have become the focus of the public. In order to explore ozone deposition law and environmental factors influencing ozone deposition process, this study used the micrometeorological methods and carried out the experiment under natural conditions. The results showed that during the observational period (the vigorously growing season of wheat), the mean value of ozone flux was -0.35 μg·m -2 ·s -1 (the negative sign indicated that the deposition direction was toward the ground). The mean rate of ozone deposition was 0.55 cm·s -1 . The mean value of aerodynamic resistance was 30 s·m -1 , the mean value of sub-layer resistance was 257 s·m -1 , and that of the canopy layer stomatic resistance was 163 s·m -1 . All the test parameters presented distinct diurnal fluctuation. The ozone deposition resistance was influenced by friction velocity, solar radiation velocity, temperature, relative humidity and other factors.

Observations of ozone-poor air in the tropical tropopause layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newton, Richard; Vaughan, Geraint; Hintsa, Eric; Filus, Michal T.; Pan, Laura L.; Honomichl, Shawn; Atlas, Elliot; Andrews, Stephen J.; Carpenter, Lucy J.

2018-04-01

Ozonesondes reaching the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) over the west Pacific have occasionally measured layers of very low ozone concentrations - less than 15 ppbv - raising the question of how prevalent such layers are and how they are formed. In this paper, we examine aircraft measurements from the Airborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment (ATTREX), the Coordinated Airborne Studies in the Tropics (CAST) and the Convective Transport of Active Species in the Tropics (CONTRAST) experiment campaigns based in Guam in January-March 2014 for evidence of very low ozone concentrations and their relation to deep convection. The study builds on results from the ozonesonde campaign conducted from Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, as part of CAST, where ozone concentrations as low as 12 ppbv were observed between 100 and 150 hPa downwind of a deep convective complex. TTL measurements from the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft show a marked contrast between the hemispheres, with mean ozone concentrations in profiles in the Southern Hemisphere between 100 and 150 hPa of between 10.7 and 15.2 ppbv. By contrast, the mean ozone concentrations in profiles in the Northern Hemisphere were always above 15.4 ppbv and normally above 20 ppbv at these altitudes. The CAST and CONTRAST aircraft sampled the atmosphere between the surface and 120 hPa, finding very low ozone concentrations only between the surface and 700 hPa; mixing ratios as low as 7 ppbv were regularly measured in the boundary layer, whereas in the free troposphere above 200 hPa concentrations were generally well in excess of 15 ppbv. These results are consistent with uplift of almost-unmixed boundary-layer air to the TTL in deep convection. An interhemispheric difference was found in the TTL ozone concentrations, with values < 15 ppbv measured extensively in the Southern Hemisphere but seldom in the Northern Hemisphere. This is consistent with a similar contrast in the low-level ozone between the two hemispheres found by

The Chemical and Dynamical Responses of Ozone and Nitrogen Dioxide to the Eruption of Mt. Pinatubo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aquila, V.; Oman, L. D.; Stolarski, R.; Douglass, A. R.

2012-01-01

Observations have shown that the concentration of nitrogen dioxide decreased in both hemispheres in the years following the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. In contrast, the observed ozone response was largely asymmetrical with respect to the equator, with a decrease in the northern hemisphere and little or no change in the southern hemisphere. Simulations including enhanced heterogeneous chemistry due to the presence of the volcanic aerosol reproduce a decrease of ozone in the northern hemisphere, but also produce a comparable ozone decrease in the southern hemisphere contrary to observations. Our simulations show that the heating due to the volcanic aerosol enhanced both the tropical upwelling and the extratropical downwelling. The enhanced extratropical downwelling, combined with the time of the eruption relative to the seasonal phase of the Brewer-Dobson circulation, increased the ozone in the southern hemisphere and counteracted the ozone depletion due to heterogeneous chemistry on volcanic aerosol.

Children's Models of Understanding of Two Major Global Environmental Issues (Ozone Layer and Greenhouse Effect).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyes, Edward; Stanisstreet, Martin

1997-01-01

Aims to quantify the models that 13- and 14 year-old students hold about the causes of the greenhouse effect and ozone layer depletion. Assesses the prevalence of those ideas that link the two phenomena. Twice as many students think that holes in the ozone layer cause the greenhouse effect than think the greenhouse effect causes ozone depletion.…

Impact of biogenic very short-lived bromine on the Antarctic ozone hole during the 21st century

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fernandez, Rafael P.; Kinnison, Douglas E.; Lamarque, Jean -Francois

Active bromine released from the photochemical decomposition of biogenic very short-lived bromocarbons (VSL Br) enhances stratospheric ozone depletion. Based on a dual set of 1960–2100 coupled chemistry–climate simulations (i.e. with and without VSL Br), we show that the maximum Antarctic ozone hole depletion increases by up to 14 % when natural VSL Br are considered, which is in better agreement with ozone observations. The impact of the additional 5 pptv VSL Br on Antarctic ozone is most evident in the periphery of the ozone hole, producing an expansion of the ozone hole area of ~5 million km 2, which is equivalentmore » in magnitude to the recently estimated Antarctic ozone healing due to the implementation of the Montreal Protocol. We find that the inclusion of VSL Br in CAM-Chem (Community Atmosphere Model with Chemistry, version 4.0) does not introduce a significant delay of the modelled ozone return date to 1980 October levels, but instead affects the depth and duration of the simulated ozone hole. Our analysis further shows that total bromine-catalysed ozone destruction in the lower stratosphere surpasses that of chlorine by the year 2070 and indicates that natural VSL Br chemistry would dominate Antarctic ozone seasonality before the end of the 21st century. As a result, this work suggests a large influence of biogenic bromine on the future Antarctic ozone layer.« less

Impact of biogenic very short-lived bromine on the Antarctic ozone hole during the 21st century

DOE PAGES

Fernandez, Rafael P.; Kinnison, Douglas E.; Lamarque, Jean -Francois; ...

2017-02-03

Active bromine released from the photochemical decomposition of biogenic very short-lived bromocarbons (VSL Br) enhances stratospheric ozone depletion. Based on a dual set of 1960–2100 coupled chemistry–climate simulations (i.e. with and without VSL Br), we show that the maximum Antarctic ozone hole depletion increases by up to 14 % when natural VSL Br are considered, which is in better agreement with ozone observations. The impact of the additional 5 pptv VSL Br on Antarctic ozone is most evident in the periphery of the ozone hole, producing an expansion of the ozone hole area of ~5 million km 2, which is equivalentmore » in magnitude to the recently estimated Antarctic ozone healing due to the implementation of the Montreal Protocol. We find that the inclusion of VSL Br in CAM-Chem (Community Atmosphere Model with Chemistry, version 4.0) does not introduce a significant delay of the modelled ozone return date to 1980 October levels, but instead affects the depth and duration of the simulated ozone hole. Our analysis further shows that total bromine-catalysed ozone destruction in the lower stratosphere surpasses that of chlorine by the year 2070 and indicates that natural VSL Br chemistry would dominate Antarctic ozone seasonality before the end of the 21st century. As a result, this work suggests a large influence of biogenic bromine on the future Antarctic ozone layer.« less

Lidar Observations of the Vertical Structure of Ozone and Aerosol during Wintertime High-Ozone Episodes Associated with Oil and Gas Exploration in the Uintah Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senff, C. J.; Langford, A. O.; Banta, R. M.; Alvarez, R. J.; Weickmann, A.; Sandberg, S.; Marchbanks, R. D.; Brewer, A.; Hardesty, R. M.

2013-12-01

The Uintah Basin in northeast Utah has been experiencing extended periods of poor air quality in the winter months including very high levels of surface ozone. To investigate the causes of these wintertime ozone pollution episodes, two comprehensive studies were undertaken in January/February of 2012 and 2013. As part of these Uintah Basin Ozone Studies (UBOS), NOAA deployed its ground-based, scanning Tunable Optical Profiler for Aerosol and oZone (TOPAZ) lidar to document the vertical structure of ozone and aerosol backscatter from near the surface up to about 3 km above ground level (AGL). TOPAZ, along with a comprehensive set of chemistry and meteorological measurements, was situated in both years at the Horse Pool site at the northern edge of a large concentration of gas producing wells in the eastern part of the Uintah Basin. The 2012 study was characterized by unusually warm and snow-free condition and the TOPAZ lidar observed deep boundary layers (BL) and mostly well-mixed vertical ozone profiles at or slightly above tropospheric background levels. During UBOS 2013, winter weather conditions in the Uintah Basin were more typical with snow-covered ground and a persistent, shallow cold-pool layer. The TOPAZ lidar characterized with great temporal and spatial detail the evolution of multiple high-ozone episodes as well as cleanout events caused by the passage of synoptic-scale storm systems. Despite the snow cover, the TOPAZ observations show well-mixed afternoon ozone and aerosol profiles up to about 100 m AGL. After several days of pollutant buildup, BL ozone values reached 120-150 ppbv. Above the mixed layer, ozone values gradually decreased to tropospheric background values of around 50 ppbv throughout the several-hundred-meter-deep cold-pool layer and then stayed constant above that up to about 3 km AGL. During the ozone episodes, the lidar observations show no indication of either vertical or horizontal transport of high ozone levels to the surface, thus

Ozone Depletion Potential of CH3Br. Appendix H

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, Malcolm K. W.; Sze, Nien Dak; Scott, Courtney; Rodriguez, Jose M.; Weisenstein, Debra K.; Sander, Stanley P.

1998-01-01

The ozone depletion potential (ODP) of methyl bromide (CH3Br) can be determined by combining the model-calculated bromine efficiency factor (BEF) for CH3Br and its atmospheric lifetime. This paper examines how changes in several key kinetic data affect BEF. The key reactions highlighted in this study include the reaction of BrO + HO2, the absorption cross section of HOBr, the absorption cross section and the photolysis products of BrONO2, and the heterogeneous conversion of BrONO2 to HOBr and HNO3 on aerosol particles. By combining the calculated BEF with the latest estimate of 0.7 year for the atmospheric lifetime of CH3Br, the likely value of ODP for CH3Br is 0.39. The model-calculated concentration of HBr (approx. 0.3 pptv) in the lower stratosphere is substantially smaller than the reported measured value of about 1 pptv. Recent publications suggested models can reproduce the measured value if one assumes a yield for HBr from the reaction of BrO + OH or from the reaction of BrO + HO2. Although the evaluation concluded any substantial yield of HBr from BrO + HO2 is unlikely, for completeness, we calculate the effects of these assumed yields on BEF for CH3Br. Our calculations show that the effects are minimal: practically no impact for an assumed 1.3% yield of HBr from BrO + OH and 10% smaller for an assumed 0.6% yield from BrO + HO2.

Looking at Ozone From a New Angle: Shuttle Ozone Limb Sounding Experiment-2 (SOLSE-2)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McPeters, Richard; Hilsenrath, Ernest; Janz, Scott; Brown, Tammy (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The ozone layer above Earth is our planet's fragile sunscreen, protecting people, vegetation, and wildlife. NASA has been measuring ozone for more than 20 years by looking down, but SOLSE-2 will show that more information is available by looking at ozone from the side, at Earth's limb or atmospheric boundary. When the ozone layer is compromised, increased ultraviolet (UV) levels from the sun cause health problems ranging from severe sunburns to skin cancer and cataracts. A concerted global effort has been made to reduce or eliminate the production of chemicals that deplete ozone, but the ozone layer is not expected to recover for many decades because these chemicals can remain active in the atmosphere for up to 100 years. We know now that ozone monitoring needs to be focused in the lower stratosphere. The discovery of the ozone hole in 1985 demonstrated that very large changes in ozone were occurring in the lower stratosphere near 20 km, instead of the upper stratosphere as first expected, and where current ozone instruments are focused. Measuring ozone from a tangential perspective that is centered at the limb provides ozone profiles concentrated in the lower stratosphere. The first flight of SOLSE proved that this technique achieves the accuracy and coverage of traditional measurements, and surpasses the altitude resolution and depth of retrieval of conventional techniques. Results from the first flight convinced the science community to design the next generation ozone monitoring satellite based on SOLSE. The Ozone Mapping and Profiling Suite (OMPS) is currently being built for the NPOESS satellite. The primary objective of SOLSE-2 is to confirm the promising results of the first flight over a wider range of viewing conditions and spectral wavelengths. Sometimes a really hard problem can be solved when you look at it from a different angle! While scientists conduct research, protect yourself by observing the UV index and spend less unprotected time outdoors.

Evaluation of the Effect of Exhausts from Liquid and Solid Rockets on Ozone Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamagiwa, Yoshiki; Ishimaki, Tetsuya

This paper reports the analytical results of the influences of solid rocket and liquid rocket exhausts on ozone layer. It is worried about that the exhausts from solid propellant rockets cause the ozone depletion in the ozone layer. Some researchers try to develop the analytical model of ozone depletion by rocket exhausts to understand its physical phenomena and to find the effective design of rocket to minimize its effect. However, these models do not include the exhausts from liquid rocket although there are many cases to use solid rocket boosters with a liquid rocket at the same time in practical situations. We constructed combined analytical model include the solid rocket exhausts and liquid rocket exhausts to analyze their effects. From the analytical results, we find that the exhausts from liquid rocket suppress the ozone depletion by solid rocket exhausts.

The Response of Tropospheric Ozone to ENSO in Observations and a Chemistry-Climate Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oman, L. D.; Douglass, A. R.; Ziemke, J. R.; Waugh, D. W.; Rodriguez, J. M.; Nielsen, J. E.

2012-01-01

The El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the dominant mode of tropical variability on interannual time scales. ENSO appears to extend its influence into the chemical composition of the tropical troposphere. Recent results have revealed an ENSO induced wave-l anomaly in observed tropical tropospheric column ozone. This results in a dipole over the western and eastern tropical Pacific, whereby differencing the two regions produces an ozone anomaly with an extremely high correlation to the Nino 3.4 Index. We have successfully reproduced this result using the Goddard Earth Observing System Version 5 (GEOS-5) general circulation model coupled to a comprehensive stratospheric and tropospheric chemical mechanism forced with observed sea surface temperatures over the past 25 years. An examination of the modeled ozone field reveals the vertical contributions of tropospheric ozone to the column over the western and eastern Pacific region. We will show targeted comparisons with observations from NASA's Aura satellite Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS), and the Tropospheric Emissions Spectrometer (TES) to provide insight into the vertical structure of ozone changes. The tropospheric ozone response to ENSO could be a useful chemistry-climate model evaluation tool and should be considered in future modeling assessments.

Evaluation of ACCMIP Outgoing Longwave Radiation from Tropospheric Ozone Using TES Satellite Observations.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowman, Kevin W.; Shindell, Drew Todd; Worden, H. M.; Lamarque, J. F.; Young, P. J.; Stevenson, D. S.; Qu, Z.; delaTorre, M.; Bergmann, D.; Cameron-Smith, P. J.;

The GEOS Chemistry Climate Model: Implications of Climate Feedbacks on Ozone Depletion and Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stolarski, Richard S.; Pawson, Steven; Douglass, Anne R.; Newman, Paul A.; Kawa, S. Randy; Nielsen, J. Eric; Rodriquez, Jose; Strahan, Susan; Oman, Luke; Waugh, Darryn

2008-01-01

The Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry Climate Model (GEOS CCM) has been developed by combining the atmospheric chemistry and transport modules developed over the years at Goddard and the GEOS general circulation model, also developed at Goddard. The first version of the model was used in the CCMVal intercomparison exercises that contributed to the 2006 WMO/UNEP Ozone Assessment. The second version incorporates the updated version of the GCM (GEOS 5) and will be used for the next round of CCMVal evaluations and the 2010 Ozone Assessment. The third version, now under development, incorporates the combined stratosphere and troposphere chemistry package developed under the Global Modeling Initiative (GMI). We will show comparison to past observations that indicate that we represent the ozone trends over the past 30 years. We will also show the basic temperature, composition, and dynamical structure of the simulations. We will further show projections into the future. We will show results from an ensemble of transient and time-slice simulations, including simulations with fixed 1960 chlorine, simulations with a best guess scenario (Al), and simulations with extremely high chlorine loadings. We will discuss planned extensions of the model to include emission-based boundary conditions for both anthropogenic and biogenic compounds.

Improve observation-based ground-level ozone spatial distribution by compositing satellite and surface observations: A simulation experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yuzhong; Wang, Yuhang; Crawford, James; Cheng, Ye; Li, Jianfeng

2018-05-01

Obtaining the full spatial coverage of daily surface ozone fields is challenging because of the sparsity of the surface monitoring network and the difficulty in direct satellite retrievals of surface ozone. We propose an indirect satellite retrieval framework to utilize the information from satellite-measured column densities of tropospheric NO2 and CH2O, which are sensitive to the lower troposphere, to derive surface ozone fields. The method is applicable to upcoming geostationary satellites with high-quality NO2 and CH2O measurements. To prove the concept, we conduct a simulation experiment using a 3-D chemical transport model for July 2011 over the eastern US. The results show that a second order regression using both NO2 and CH2O column densities can be an effective predictor for daily maximum 8-h average ozone. Furthermore, this indirect retrieval approach is shown to be complementary to spatial interpolation of surface observations, especially in regions where the surface sites are sparse. Combining column observations of NO2 and CH2O with surface site measurements leads to an improved representation of surface ozone over simple kriging, increasing the R2 value from 0.53 to 0.64 at a surface site distance of 252 km. The improvements are even more significant with larger surface site distances. The simulation experiment suggests that the indirect satellite retrieval technique can potentially be a useful tool to derive the full spatial coverage of daily surface ozone fields if satellite observation uncertainty is moderate.

1,2-Dichlorohexafluoro-cyclobutane (1,2-c-C4F6Cl2, R-316c) a potent ozone depleting substance and greenhouse gas: atmospheric loss processes, lifetimes, and ozone depletion and global warming potentials for the (E) and (Z) stereoisomers.

PubMed

Papadimitriou, Vassileios C; McGillen, Max R; Smith, Shona C; Jubb, Aaron M; Portmann, Robert W; Hall, Bradley D; Fleming, Eric L; Jackman, Charles H; Burkholder, James B

2013-10-31

The atmospheric processing of (E)- and (Z)-1,2-dichlorohexafluoro-cyclobutane (1,2-c-C4F6Cl2, R-316c) was examined in this work as the ozone depleting (ODP) and global warming (GWP) potentials of this proposed replacement compound are presently unknown. The predominant atmospheric loss processes and infrared absorption spectra of the R-316c isomers were measured to provide a basis to evaluate their atmospheric lifetimes and, thus, ODPs and GWPs. UV absorption spectra were measured between 184.95 to 230 nm at temperatures between 214 and 296 K and a parametrization for use in atmospheric modeling is presented. The Cl atom quantum yield in the 193 nm photolysis of R-316c was measured to be 1.90 ± 0.27. Hexafluorocyclobutene (c-C4F6) was determined to be a photolysis co-product with molar yields of 0.7 and 1.0 (±10%) for (E)- and (Z)-R-316c, respectively. The 296 K total rate coefficient for the O((1)D) + R-316c reaction, i.e., O((1)D) loss, was measured to be (1.56 ± 0.11) × 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) and the reactive rate coefficient, i.e., R-316c loss, was measured to be (1.36 ± 0.20) × 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) corresponding to a ~88% reactive yield. Rate coefficient upper-limits for the OH and O3 reaction with R-316c were determined to be <2.3 × 10(-17) and <2.0 × 10(-22) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), respectively, at 296 K. The quoted uncertainty limits are 2σ and include estimated systematic errors. Local and global annually averaged lifetimes for the (E)- and (Z)-R-316c isomers were calculated using a 2-D atmospheric model to be 74.6 ± 3 and 114.1 ± 10 years, respectively, where the estimated uncertainties are due solely to the uncertainty in the UV absorption spectra. Stratospheric photolysis is the predominant atmospheric loss process for both isomers with the O((1)D) reaction making a minor, ~2% for the (E) isomer and 7% for the (Z) isomer, contribution to the total atmospheric loss. Ozone depletion potentials for (E)- and (Z)-R-316c

1,2-Dichlorohexafluoro-Cyclobutane (1,2-c-C4F6Cl2, R-316c) a Potent Ozone Depleting Substance and Greenhouse Gas: Atmospheric Loss Processes, Lifetimes, and Ozone Depletion and Global Warming Potentials for the (E) and (Z) stereoisomers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Papadimitriou, Vassileios C.; McGillen, Max R.; Smith, Shona C.; Jubb, Aaron M.; Portmann, Robert W.; Hall, Bradley D.; Fleming, Eric L.; Jackman, Charles H.; Burkholder, James B.

2013-01-01

The atmospheric processing of (E)- and (Z)-1,2-dichlorohexafluorocyclobutane (1,2-c-C4F6Cl2, R-316c) was examined in this work as the ozone depleting (ODP) and global warming (GWP) potentials of this proposed replacement compound are presently unknown. The predominant atmospheric loss processes and infrared absorption spectra of the R-316c isomers were measured to provide a basis to evaluate their atmospheric lifetimes and, thus, ODPs and GWPs. UV absorption spectra were measured between 184.95 to 230 nm at temperatures between 214 and 296 K and a parametrization for use in atmospheric modeling is presented. The Cl atom quantum yield in the 193 nm photolysis of R- 316c was measured to be 1.90 +/- 0.27. Hexafluorocyclobutene (c-C4F6) was determined to be a photolysis co-product with molar yields of 0.7 and 1.0 (+/-10%) for (E)- and (Z)-R-316c, respectively. The 296 K total rate coefficient for the O(1D) + R-316c reaction, i.e., O(1D) loss, was measured to be (1.56 +/- 0.11) × 10(exp -10)cu cm/ molecule/s and the reactive rate coefficient, i.e., R-316c loss, was measured to be (1.36 +/- 0.20) × 10(exp -10)cu cm/molecule/s corresponding to a approx. 88% reactive yield. Rate coefficient upper-limits for the OH and O3 reaction with R-316c were determined to be <2.3 × 10(exp -17) and <2.0 × 10(exp -22)cu cm/molecule/s, respectively, at 296 K. The quoted uncertainty limits are 2(sigma) and include estimated systematic errors. Local and global annually averaged lifetimes for the (E)- and (Z)-R-316c isomers were calculated using a 2-D atmospheric model to be 74.6 +/- 3 and 114.1 +/-10 years, respectively, where the estimated uncertainties are due solely to the uncertainty in the UV absorption spectra. Stratospheric photolysis is the predominant atmospheric loss process for both isomers with the O(1D) reaction making a minor, approx. 2% for the (E) isomer and 7% for the (Z) isomer, contribution to the total atmospheric loss. Ozone depletion potentials for (E)- and (Z

Modeling and Observations of the Response of Tropical Tropospheric Ozone to ENSO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oman, L. D.; Douglass, A. R.; Ziemke, J. R.; Waugh, D. W.; Lang, C.; Rodriquez, J. M.; Nielsen, J. E.

2012-01-01

The El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the dominant mode of tropical variability on interannual time scales. ENSO appears to extend its influence into the chemical composition of the tropical troposphere, Recent results have revealed an ENSO induced wave-1 anomaly in observed tropical tropospheric column ozone, This results in a dipole over the western and eastern tropical Pacific, whereby differencing the two regions produces an ozone anomaly with an extremely high correlation to the Nino 3.4 Index. We have successfully reproduced this result using the Goddard Earth Observing System Version 5 (GEOS-5) general circulation model coupled to a comprehensive stratospheric and tropospheric chemical mechanism forced with observed sea surface temperatures over the past 25 years, An examination of the modeled ozone field reveals the vertical contributions of tropospheric ozone to the column over the western and eastern Pacific region, We will show targeted comparisons with SHADOZ ozonesondes over these regions to provide insight into the vertical structure. Also, comparisons with NASA's Aura satellite Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) and Tropospheric Emissions Spectrometer (TES) instruments and other appropriate data sets will be shown. In addition, the water vapor response to ENSO will be compared to help illuminate its role relative to dynamics in impacting ozone concentrations. These results indicate that the tropospheric ozone response to ENSO is potentially a very useful chemistry-climate diagnostic and should be considered in future modeling assessments.

A Contribution Toward Understanding the Biospherical Significance of Antarctic Ozone Depletion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubin, Dan; Mitchell, B. Greg; Frederick, John E.; Alberts, Amy D.; Booth, C. R.; Lucas, Timothy; Neuschuler, David

1992-05-01

Measurements of biologically active UV radiation made by the National Science Foundation (NSF) scanning spectroradiometer (UV-monitor) at Palmer Station, Antarctica, during the Austral springs of 1988, 1989, and 1990 are presented and compared. Column ozone abundance above Palmer Station is computed from these measurements using a multiple wavelength algorithm. Two contrasting action spectra (biological weighting functions) are used to estimate the biologically relevant dose from the spectral measurements: a standard weighting function for damage to DNA, and a new action spectrum representing the potential for photosynthesis inhibition in Antarctic phytoplankton. The former weights only UV-B wavelengths (280-320 nm) and gives the most weight to wavelengths shorter than 300 nm, while the latter includes large contributions out to 355 nm. The latter is the result of recent Antarctic field work and is relevant in that phytoplankton constitute the base of the Antarctic food web. The modest ozone hole of 1988, in which the ozone abundance above Palmer Station never fell below 200 Dobson units (DU), brought about summerlike doses of DNA-effective UV radiation 2 months early, but UV doses which could inhibit photosynthesis in phytoplankton did not exceed a clear-sky "maximum normal" dose for that time of year. The severe ozone holes of 1989 and 1990, in which the ozone abundance regularly fell below 200 DU, brought about increases in UV surface irradiance weighted by either action spectrum. Ozone abundances and dose-weighted irradiances provided by the NSF UV-monitor are used to derive the radiation amplification factors (RAFs) for both DNA-effective irradiance and phytoplankton-effective irradiance. The RAF for DNA-effective irradiance is nonlinear in ozone abundance and is in excess of the popular "two for one" rule, while the RAF for phytoplankton-effective irradiance approximately follows a "one for one" rule.

Feasibility of Sensing Tropospheric Ozone with MODIS 9.6 Micron Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prabhakara, C.; Iacovazzi, R., Jr.; Moon-Yoo, Jung

2004-01-01

With the infrared observations made by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) on board the EOS-Aqua satellite, which include the 9.73 micron channel, a method is developed to deduce horizontal patterns of tropospheric ozone in cloud free conditions on a scale of about 100 km. It is assumed that on such small scale, at a given instant, horizontal changes in stratospheric ozone are small compared to that in the troposphere. From theoretical simulations it is found that uncertainties in the land surface emissivity and the vertical thermal stratification in the troposphere can lead to significant errors in the inferred tropospheric ozone. Because of this reason in order to derive horizontal patterns of tropospheric ozone in a given geographic area a tuning of this method is necessary with the help of a few dependent cases. After tuning, this method is applied to independent cases of MODIS data taken over Los Angeles basin in cloud free conditions to derive horizontal distribution of ozone in the troposphere. Preliminary results indicate that the derived patterns of ozone resemble crudely the patterns of surface ozone reported by EPA.

The Impact of Withholding Observations from TOMS or SBUV Instruments on the GEOS Ozone Data Assimilation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stajner, Ovanka; Riishojgaard, Lars Peter; Rood, Richard B.

2000-01-01

In a data assimilation system (DAS), model forecast atmospheric fields, observations and their respective statistics are combined in an attempt to produce the best estimate of these fields. Ozone observations from two instruments are assimilated in the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) ozone DAS: the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) instrument. The assimilated observations are complementary; TOMS provides a global daily coverage of total column ozone, without profile information, while SBUV measures ozone profiles and total column ozone at nadir only. The purpose of this paper is to examine the performance of the ozone assimilation system in the absence of observations from one of the instruments as it can happen in the event of a failure of an instrument or when there are problems with an instrument for a limited time. Our primary concern is for the performance of the GEOS ozone DAS when it is used in the operational mode to provide near real time analyzed ozone fields in support of instruments on the Terra satellite. In addition, we are planning to produce a longer term ozone record by assimilating historical data. We want to quantify the differences in the assimilated ozone fields that are caused by the changes in the TOMS or SBUV observing network. Our primary interest is in long term and large scale features visible in global statistics of analysis fields, such as differences in the zonal mean of assimilated ozone fields or comparisons with independent observations, While some drifts in assimilated fields occur immediately, after assimilating just one day of different observations, the others develop slowly over several months. Thus, we are also interested in the length of time, which is determined from time series, that is needed for significant changes to take place.

Scientific assessment of stratospheric ozone: 1989, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

A scientific review is presented of the current understanding of stratospheric ozone. There have been highly significant advances in the understanding of the impact of human activities on the Earth's protective ozone layer. There are four major findings that each heighten the concern that chlorine and bromine containing chemicals can lead to a significant depletion of stratospheric ozone: (1) Antarctic ozone hole (the weight of evidence indicates that chlorinated and brominated chemicals are responsible for the ozone hole; (2) Perturbed arctic chemistry (the same potentially ozone destroying processes were identified in the Arctic stratosphere); (3) Long term ozone decreases; and (4) Model limitations (gaps in theoretical models used for assessment studies).

A two-dimensional photochemical model of the atmosphere. I Chlorocarbon emissions and their effect on stratospheric ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gidel, L. T.; Crutzen, P. J.; Fishman, J.

1983-01-01

A two-dimensional photochemical model is used to examine changes to the ozone layer caused by emissions of CFCl3, CF2Cl2, CH3CCl3 and CCl4. The influence of a possible secular increase in tropospheric methane up to 2 percent per year was found to be small, although it acts to mask decreases in total ozone caused by the chlorocarbons. Increasing NO(x) emissions caused by industralization also tend to mask decreases in total ozone and may have caused total ozone to increase by about 1 percent. The model-calculated ozone decreases are estimated to be about 3 percent by 1980. This estimate is higher than estimates by similar models, although it is noted that CCl4 and CH3CCl3 emissions are included in the model in addition to CFCl3 and CF2Cl2. This is significant because the model indicates that CCl4 has dominated the ozone depletions so far, and knowledge of the historical emission rate of CCl4 to the atmosphere is incomplete. There remain sufficient significant disagreements between theoretical and observed concentrations and variabilities, particularly for odd nitrogen and ClO, to caution against assigning too much confidence in the calculated ozone depletion.

Observation of ozone and aerosols in the Antarctic ozone hole of 1991 under the Polar Patrol Balloon (PPB) Project. Preliminary result

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayashi, Masahiko; Murata, Isao; Iwasaka, Yasunobu; Kondo, Yutaka; Kanzawa, Hiroshi

1994-01-01

We present preliminary results for the PPB (Polar Patrol Balloon) experiment. The balloon was launched at 07:55 UT on 23 September and dropped at 21 UT on 28 September 1991. During the period, ozone and aerosol concentrations were measured correspondingly along the track. During the Lagrangian type observation, drastic change of ozone concentration in 'same air mass' and positive correlation between ozone concentration and sulfate aerosol amount were obtained at the level within 80-78 hPa. During the descent motion at 80 deg S active PSC's (type-1 and -2) were observed from 200 hPa to 80 hPa.

The consequences for human health of stratospheric ozone depletion in association with other environmental factors.

PubMed

Lucas, R M; Norval, M; Neale, R E; Young, A R; de Gruijl, F R; Takizawa, Y; van der Leun, J C

2015-01-01

Due to the implementation of the Montreal Protocol, which has limited, and is now probably reversing, the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, only modest increases in solar UV-B radiation at the surface of the Earth have occurred. For many fair-skinned populations, changing behaviour with regard to exposure to the sun over the past half century - more time in the sun, less clothing cover (more skin exposed), and preference for a tan - has probably contributed more to greater levels of exposure to UV-B radiation than ozone depletion. Exposure to UV-B radiation has both adverse and beneficial effects on human health. This report focuses on an assessment of the evidence regarding these outcomes that has been published since our previous report in 2010. The skin and eyes are the organs exposed to solar UV radiation. Excessive solar irradiation causes skin cancer, including cutaneous malignant melanoma and the non-melanoma skin cancers, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, and contributes to the development of other rare skin cancers such as Merkel cell carcinoma. Although the incidence of melanoma continues to increase in many countries, in some locations, primarily those with strong sun protection programmes, incidence has stabilised or decreased over the past 5 years, particularly in younger age-groups. However, the incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers is still increasing in most locations. Exposure of the skin to the sun also induces systemic immune suppression that may have adverse effects on health, such as through the reactivation of latent viral infections, but also beneficial effects through suppression of autoimmune reactivity. Solar UV-B radiation damages the eyes, causing cataracts and pterygium. UV-B irradiation of the skin is the main source of vitamin D in many geographic locations. Vitamin D plays a critical role in the maintenance of calcium homeostasis in the body; severe deficiency causes the bone diseases, rickets in children

Attribution of Recovery in Lower-Stratospheric Ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Eun-Su; Cunnold, Derek M.; Salawitch, Ross J.; McCormick, M. Patrick; Russell, James, III; Zawodny, Joseph M.; Oltmans, Samuel; Newchurch, Michael J.

2005-01-01

Multiple satellite and ground-based observations provide consistent evidence that the thickness of Earth's protective ozone layer has stopped declining since 1997, close to the time of peak stratospheric halogen loading. Regression analyses with Effective Equivalent Stratospheric Chlorine (EESC) in conjunction with further analyses using more sophisticated photochemical model calculations constrained by satellite data demonstrate that the cessation of ozone depletion between 18-25 km altitude is consistent with a leveling off of stratospheric abundances of chlorine and bromine, due to the Montreal Protocol and its amendments. However, ozone increases in the lowest part of the stratosphere, from the tropopause to 18 km, account for about half of the improvement in total column ozone during the past 9 years at northern hemisphere mid-latitudes. The increase in ozone for altitudes below 18 km is most likely driven by changes in transport, rather than driven by declining chlorine and bromine. Even with this evidence that the Montreal Protocol and its amendments are having the desired, positive effect on ozone above 18 km, total column ozone is recovering faster than expected due to the apparent transport driven changes at lower altitudes. Accurate prediction of future levels of stratospheric ozone will require comprehensive understanding of the factors that drive temporal changes at various altitudes, and partitioning of the recent transport-driven increases between natural variability and changes in atmospheric structure perhaps related to anthropogenic climate change.

Attribution of Recovery in Lower-stratospheric Ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Eun-Su; Cunnold, Derek M.; Salawitch, Ross J.; McCormick, M. Patrick; Russell, James, III; Zawodny, Joseph M.; Oltmans, Samuel; Newchurch, Michael J.

2006-01-01

Multiple satellite and ground-based observations provide consistent evidence that the thickness of Earth's protective ozone layer has stopped declining since 1997, close to the time of peak stratospheric halogen loading. Regression analyses with Effective Equivalent Stratospheric Chlorine (EESC) in conjunction with further analyses using more sophisticated photochemical model calculations constrained by satellite data demonstrate that the cessation of ozone depletion between 18-25 km altitude is consistent with a leveling off of stratospheric abundances of chlorine and bromine, due to the Montreal Protocol and its amendments. However, ozone increases in the lowest part of the stratosphere, from the tropopause to 18 km, account for about half of the improvement in total column ozone during the past 9 years at northern hemisphere mid-latitudes. The increase in ozone for altitudes below 18 km is most likely driven by changes in transport, rather than driven by declining chlorine and bromine. Even with this evidence that the Montreal Protocol and its amendments are having the desired, positive effect on ozone above 18 km, total column ozone is recovering faster than expected due to the apparent transport driven changes at lower altitudes. Accurate prediction of future levels of stratospheric ozone will require comprehensive understanding of the factors that drive temporal changes at various altitudes, and partitioning of the recent transport-driven increases between natural variability and changes in atmospheric structure perhaps related to anthropogenic climate change.

Fate of Chloromethanes in the Atmospheric Environment: Implications for Human Health, Ozone Formation and Depletion, and Global Warming Impacts.

PubMed

Tsai, Wen-Tien

2017-09-21

Among the halogenated hydrocarbons, chloromethanes (i.e., methyl chloride, CH₃Cl; methylene chloride, CH₂Cl₂; chloroform, CHCl₃; and carbon tetrachloride, CCl₄) play a vital role due to their extensive uses as solvents and chemical intermediates. This article aims to review their main chemical/physical properties and commercial/industrial uses, as well as the environment and health hazards posed by them and their toxic decomposition products. The environmental properties (including atmospheric lifetime, radiative efficiency, ozone depletion potential, global warming potential, photochemical ozone creation potential, and surface mixing ratio) of these chlorinated methanes are also reviewed. In addition, this paper further discusses their atmospheric fates and human health implications because they are apt to reside in the lower atmosphere when released into the environment. According to the atmospheric degradation mechanism, their toxic degradation products in the troposphere include hydrogen chloride (HCl), carbon monoxide (CO), chlorine (Cl₂), formyl chloride (HCOCl), carbonyl chloride (COCl₂), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Among them, COCl₂ (also called phosgene) is a powerful irritating gas, which is easily hydrolyzed or thermally decomposed to form hydrogen chloride.

Bayesian Maximum Entropy Integration of Ozone Observations and Model Predictions: A National Application.

PubMed

Xu, Yadong; Serre, Marc L; Reyes, Jeanette; Vizuete, William

2016-04-19

To improve ozone exposure estimates for ambient concentrations at a national scale, we introduce our novel Regionalized Air Quality Model Performance (RAMP) approach to integrate chemical transport model (CTM) predictions with the available ozone observations using the Bayesian Maximum Entropy (BME) framework. The framework models the nonlinear and nonhomoscedastic relation between air pollution observations and CTM predictions and for the first time accounts for variability in CTM model performance. A validation analysis using only noncollocated data outside of a validation radius rv was performed and the R(2) between observations and re-estimated values for two daily metrics, the daily maximum 8-h average (DM8A) and the daily 24-h average (D24A) ozone concentrations, were obtained with the OBS scenario using ozone observations only in contrast with the RAMP and a Constant Air Quality Model Performance (CAMP) scenarios. We show that, by accounting for the spatial and temporal variability in model performance, our novel RAMP approach is able to extract more information in terms of R(2) increase percentage, with over 12 times for the DM8A and over 3.5 times for the D24A ozone concentrations, from CTM predictions than the CAMP approach assuming that model performance does not change across space and time.

Tropospheric Ozone Over the North Pacific from Ozonesdonde Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oltmans, S. J.; Johnson, B. J.; Harris, J. M.; Thompson, A. M.; Liu, H. Y.; Voemel, H.; Chan, C. Y.; Fujimoto, T.; Brackett, V. G.; Chang, W. L.

2003-01-01

As part of the TRACE-P mission, ozone vertical profile measurements were made at a number of locations in the North Pacific. At most of the sites there is also a multi-year record of ozonesonde observations. From seven locations in the western Pacific (Hong Kong; Taipei; Jeju Island, Korea; and Naha, Kagoshima, Tsukuba, and Sapporo, Japan), a site in the central Pacific (Hilo, HI), and a site on the west coast of the U.S. (Trinidad Head, CA) both a seasonal and event specific picture of tropospheric ozone over the North Pacific emerges. At all of the sites there is a pronounced spring maximum through the troposphere. There are, however, differences in the timing and strength of this feature. Over Japan the northward movement of the jet during the spring and summer influences the timing of the seasonal maximum. The ozone profiles suggest that transport of ozone rich air from the stratosphere plays a strong role in the development of this maximum. During March and April at Hong Kong ozone is enhanced in a layer that extends from the lower free troposphere into the upper troposphere that likely has its origin in biomass burning in northern Southeast Asia and equatorial Africa. During the winter the Pacific subtropical sites (latitude -25N) are dominated by air with a low-latitude, marine source that gives low ozone amounts particularly in the upper troposphere. In the summer in the boundary layer at all of the sites marine air dominates and ozone amounts are generally quite low (less than 25 ppb). The exception is near large population centers (Tokyo and Taipei but not Hong Kong) where pollution events can give amounts in excess of 80 ppb. During the TRACE-P intensive campaign period (February-April 2001) tropospheric ozone amounts were rather typical of those seen in the long-term records of the stations with multi-year soundings.

Convective forcing of mercury and ozone in the Arctic boundary layer induced by leads in sea ice.

PubMed

Moore, Christopher W; Obrist, Daniel; Steffen, Alexandra; Staebler, Ralf M; Douglas, Thomas A; Richter, Andreas; Nghiem, Son V

2014-02-06

The ongoing regime shift of Arctic sea ice from perennial to seasonal ice is associated with more dynamic patterns of opening and closing sea-ice leads (large transient channels of open water in the ice), which may affect atmospheric and biogeochemical cycles in the Arctic. Mercury and ozone are rapidly removed from the atmospheric boundary layer during depletion events in the Arctic, caused by destruction of ozone along with oxidation of gaseous elemental mercury (Hg(0)) to oxidized mercury (Hg(II)) in the atmosphere and its subsequent deposition to snow and ice. Ozone depletion events can change the oxidative capacity of the air by affecting atmospheric hydroxyl radical chemistry, whereas atmospheric mercury depletion events can increase the deposition of mercury to the Arctic, some of which can enter ecosystems during snowmelt. Here we present near-surface measurements of atmospheric mercury and ozone from two Arctic field campaigns near Barrow, Alaska. We find that coastal depletion events are directly linked to sea-ice dynamics. A consolidated ice cover facilitates the depletion of Hg(0) and ozone, but these immediately recover to near-background concentrations in the upwind presence of open sea-ice leads. We attribute the rapid recoveries of Hg(0) and ozone to lead-initiated shallow convection in the stable Arctic boundary layer, which mixes Hg(0) and ozone from undepleted air masses aloft. This convective forcing provides additional Hg(0) to the surface layer at a time of active depletion chemistry, where it is subject to renewed oxidation. Future work will need to establish the degree to which large-scale changes in sea-ice dynamics across the Arctic alter ozone chemistry and mercury deposition in fragile Arctic ecosystems.

Analysis of TES Satellite Ozone Observations from 2005 to 2013 to Understand Global Air Pollution Transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kladar, R. M.; Cooper, O. R.

2015-12-01

To better understand the causes of ozone formation and transport, we create and analyze global satellite ozone retrieval products for ground level to upper tropospheric ozone concentrations over the years 2005 to 2013 using the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) that rides aboard the NASA Aura satellite. Many global and regional tropospheric ozone trends are not fully understood. Observing many different pressure levels between 1000 hPa to 215 hPa, we focus on the areas where model and other observation strategies disagree, namely the Arabian Peninsula, the Australian outback, and the southern Sahara. We observe (and these areas may be experiencing) unusually high ozone concentrations. We also comment on the historically high ozone areas such as China, Northern India, western Europe, and the western and southern United States and how known phenomena compare to our observations. Many observations confirm known mechanisms of ozone formation and transport, such as the effect of the yearly monsoon cycle in South, Southeast, and East Asia. Others, such as the surprisingly high monthly average concentrations on the Arabian Peninsula and Southern Sahara, deserve more thorough investigation. Several hypotheses for these disagreement areas are put forward here. Lastly, we comment on the usefulness of the TES instrument for trends analysis and future global observations.

Ozone Pollution, Transport and Variability: Examples from Satellite and In-Situ Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Anne

2003-01-01

Regional and intercontinental transport of ozone has been observed from satellite, aircraft and sounding data. Over the past several years, we have developed new tropospheric ozone retrieval techniques from the TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) satellite instrument that are of sufficient resolution to follow pollution episodes. The modified-residual technique uses Level 2 total ozone and was used to follow the 1997 fires in the wake of the El-Nino-related fires in southeast Asia and the Indonesian maritime continent. The TOMS-direct method ('TDOT' = TOMS Direct Ozone in the Troposphere) is a newer algorithm that uses TOMS radiances directly to extract tropospheric ozone. Ozonesonde data that have been taken in campaigns (e.g. TRACE-P) and more consistently in the SHADOZ (Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesondes) project, reveal layers of pollution traceable with trajectories. Examples will be shown of long-range transport and recirculation over Africa during SAFARI-2000.

Is Ozone Going Up Now?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinbrecht, W.; Froidevaux, L.; Davis, S. M.; Degenstein, D. A.; Wild, J.; Roth, C.; Kaempfer, N.; Leblanc, T.; Godin-Beekmann, S.; Vigouroux, C.; Swart, D. P. J.; Querel, R.; Harris, N.; Nedoluha, G. E.

2016-12-01

The last WMO ozone assessment (WMO, 2014) concluded that observations show significant ozone increase, 3% per decade (±2% per decade, 2σ), in the upper stratosphere since 2000. At other levels, or for total ozone, increases were not found or not significant. Overall, this is consistent with expectations from model simulations, (e.g. CCMVal2, Eyring et al., 2010). These simulations indicate that declining chlorine levels and stratospheric cooling due to CO2 increase should contribute roughly equal parts to ozone increase in the upper stratosphere. Shortly after the assessment, results from the SI2N initiative (Harris et al., 2015) confirmed increasing ozone in the upper stratosphere. However, the SI2N results indicated smaller increases (+1.5% per decade) than the WMO assessment, and substantially larger uncertainties (±5% per decade, 2σ). Differences can be attributed to time period, 1998 to 2012, compared to 2000 to 2013/14 for the assessment, and to larger assumed instrumental drift uncertainties, 6% per decade, (only 1 to 2% per decade in WMO 2014, see also Hubert et al., 2016). Here, we explore how additional ground-based and satellite data since 2013, as well as new and improved records, affect ozone trends and uncertainties. The focus will be on ozone in the upper stratosphere, because this is the region where the earliest signs of beginning ozone recovery are expected. ReferencesEyring, V., et al.: Multi-model assessment of stratospheric ozone return dates and ozone recovery in CCMVal-2 models, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 9451-9472, doi:10.5194/acp-10-9451-2010, 2010. Harris, N. R. P., et al.: Past changes in the vertical distribution of ozone - Part 3: Analysis and interpretation of trends, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 9965-9982, doi:10.5194/acp-15-9965-2015, 2015. Hubert, D., et al.: Ground-based assessment of the bias and long-term stability of fourteen limb and occultation ozone profile data records, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 2497-2534, doi:10.5194/amt-9

TOLNet Data Format for Lidar Ozone Profile & Surface Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, G.; Aknan, A. A.; Newchurch, M.; Leblanc, T.

2015-12-01

The Tropospheric Ozone Lidar Network (TOLNet) is an interagency initiative started by NASA, NOAA, and EPA in 2011. TOLNet currently has six Lidars and one ozonesonde station. TOLNet provides high-resolution spatio-temporal measurements of tropospheric (surface to tropopause) ozone and aerosol vertical profiles to address fundamental air-quality science questions. The TOLNet data format was developed by TOLNet members as a community standard for reporting ozone profile observations. The development of this new format was primarily based on the existing NDAAC (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change) format and ICARTT (International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformation) format. The main goal is to present the Lidar observations in self-describing and easy-to-use data files. The TOLNet format is an ASCII format containing a general file header, individual profile headers, and the profile data. The last two components repeat for all profiles recorded in the file. The TOLNet format is both human and machine readable as it adopts standard metadata entries and fixed variable names. In addition, software has been developed to check for format compliance. To be presented is a detailed description of the TOLNet format protocol and scanning software.

Long-term total ozone observations at Arosa (Switzerland) with Dobson and Brewer instruments (1988-2007)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scarnato, B.; Staehelin, J.; Stübi, R.; Schill, H.

2010-07-01

Dobson and Brewer spectrophotometers are the standard instruments for ground-based total ozone monitoring under the World Meteorological Organization's Global Atmosphere Watch program. Both types of instruments have been simultaneously used at Arosa station (Switzerland) since 1988; presently two Dobson and three Brewer instruments (one of which is type Mark III) are in operation. The large data set of quasi-simultaneous measurements (defined here as observations performed less than 10 min apart) allows for the determination of both inter- and intrainstrumental precision. The results for one standard deviation of total ozone are ±0.5% for Dobson standard wavelength pair observations and ±0.15% for Brewer total ozone measurements. To transform Dobson data into Brewer total ozone observations, empirical transfer functions are used to describe the observed difference in seasonal variations of total ozone data derived from the two types of instruments (amounting to a seasonal amplitude of approximately 2% with maximum deviation in winter). The statistical model (applied to quasi-simultaneous measurements) includes the ozone effective temperature and the air mass multiplied by total ozone (ozone slant path) as explanatory variables; it removes the seasonal cycle in the difference and it allows the significance of the proxies introduced and systematic errors in the data to be determined. However, even when these transfer functions are applied, a 3% drift over about a 10 year period (1988-1997) between Arosa's Dobson and Brewer derived total ozone data series remains unexplained, adding to the model an aerosol proxy for which only part of the drift can be removed (related to the period 1992-1996).

Copernicus stratospheric ozone service, 2009-2012: validation, system intercomparison and roles of input data sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefever, K.; van der A, R.; Baier, F.; Christophe, Y.; Errera, Q.; Eskes, H.; Flemming, J.; Inness, A.; Jones, L.; Lambert, J.-C.; Langerock, B.; Schultz, M. G.; Stein, O.; Wagner, A.; Chabrillat, S.

2015-03-01

This paper evaluates and discusses the quality of the stratospheric ozone analyses delivered in near real time by the MACC (Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate) project during the 3-year period between September 2009 and September 2012. Ozone analyses produced by four different chemical data assimilation (CDA) systems are examined and compared: the Integrated Forecast System coupled to the Model for OZone And Related chemical Tracers (IFS-MOZART); the Belgian Assimilation System for Chemical ObsErvations (BASCOE); the Synoptic Analysis of Chemical Constituents by Advanced Data Assimilation (SACADA); and the Data Assimilation Model based on Transport Model version 3 (TM3DAM). The assimilated satellite ozone retrievals differed for each system; SACADA and TM3DAM assimilated only total ozone observations, BASCOE assimilated profiles for ozone and some related species, while IFS-MOZART assimilated both types of ozone observations. All analyses deliver total column values that agree well with ground-based observations (biases < 5%) and have a realistic seasonal cycle, except for BASCOE analyses, which underestimate total ozone in the tropics all year long by 7 to 10%, and SACADA analyses, which overestimate total ozone in polar night regions by up to 30%. The validation of the vertical distribution is based on independent observations from ozonesondes and the ACE-FTS (Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment - Fourier Transform Spectrometer) satellite instrument. It cannot be performed with TM3DAM, which is designed only to deliver analyses of total ozone columns. Vertically alternating positive and negative biases are found in the IFS-MOZART analyses as well as an overestimation of 30 to 60% in the polar lower stratosphere during polar ozone depletion events. SACADA underestimates lower stratospheric ozone by up to 50% during these events above the South Pole and overestimates it by approximately the same amount in the tropics. The three-dimensional (3-D) analyses

Identifying water mass depletion in Northern Iraq observed by GRACE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulder, G.; Olsthoorn, T. N.; Al-Manmi, D. A. M. A.; Schrama, E. J. O.; Smidt, E. H.

2014-10-01

Observations acquired by Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission indicate a mass loss of 31 ± 3 km3 or 130 ± 14 mm in Northern Iraq between 2007 and 2009. This data is used as an independent validation of a hydrologic model of the region including lake mass variations. We developed a rainfall-runoff model for five tributaries of the Tigris River, based on local geology and climate conditions. Model inputs are precipitation from Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) observations, and potential evaporation from GLDAS model parameters. Our model includes a representation of the karstified aquifers that cause large natural groundwater variations in this region. Observed river discharges were used to calibrate our model. In order to get the total mass variations, we corrected for lake mass variations derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) in combination with satellite altimetry and some in-situ data. Our rainfall-runoff model confirms that Northern Iraq suffered a drought between 2007 and 2009 and is consistent with the mass loss observed by GRACE over that period. Also, GRACE observed the annual cycle predicted by the rainfall-runoff model. The total mass depletion seen by GRACE between 2007 and 2009 is mainly explained by a lake mass depletion of 74 ± 4 mm and a natural groundwater depletion of 37 ± 6 mm. Our findings indicate that man-made groundwater extraction has a minor influence in this region while depletion of lake mass and geology play a key role.

Summary of the Impact of Launch Vehicle Exhaust and Deorbiting Space and Meteorite Debris on Stratospheric Ozone

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-09-30

20 3 MODELING OBSERVATIONS OF SRM EXHAUST................................................... 21 3.1...2. MAIN EXHAUST PRODUCTS ........................................................................................ 19 TABLE 3 -1 EXAMPLES OF...23 TABLE 3 -2. OZONE DEPLETING CHEMICALS FROM LAUNCH VEHICLES ......................................... 28 TABLE 3 - 3 . WORLDWIDE

Recent advances in satellite observations of solar variability and global atmospheric ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heath, D. F.

1974-01-01

A description is given of the temporal behavior of the sun as an ultraviolet variable star in relation to daily zonal means of atmospheric ozone from the total amount to that above the 10-mb and 4-mb pressure levels. A significant correlation has been observed between enhancements in the ultraviolet solar irradiances and terrestrial passages of the solar magnetic field sector boundary structure. However, it has not yet been possible to separate solar from the dynamical effects on the variability in the zonal means of ozone. Attention is given to global changes in ozone which have been derived from the satellite observations in terms of season, solar variability, and major stratospheric disturbances such as stratospheric warmings.

Identifying water mass depletion in northern Iraq observed by GRACE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulder, G.; Olsthoorn, T. N.; Al-Manmi, D. A. M. A.; Schrama, E. J. O.; Smidt, E. H.

2015-03-01

Observations acquired by Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission indicate a mass loss of 146 ± 6 mm equivalent water height (EWH) in northern Iraq between 2007 and 2009. These data are used as an independent validation of lake mass variations and a rainfall-runoff model, which is based on local geology and climate conditions. Model inputs are precipitation from Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) observations, and climatic parameters from Global Land Data Assimilation Systems (GLDAS) model parameters. The model is calibrated with observed river discharge and includes a representation of the karstified aquifers in the region to improve model realism. Lake mass variations were derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) in combination with satellite altimetry and some in situ data. Our rainfall-runoff model confirms that northern Iraq suffered a drought between 2007 and 2009 and captures the annual cycle and longer trend of the observed GRACE data. The total mass depletion seen by GRACE between 2007 and 2009 is mainly explained by a lake mass depletion of 75 ± 3 mm EWH and a natural groundwater depletion of 39 ± 8 mm EWH. Our findings indicate that anthropogenic groundwater extraction has a minor influence in this region, while a decline in lake mass and natural depletion of groundwater play a key role.

Observations and Simulations of Formation of Broad Plasma Depletions Through Merging Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huang, Chao-Song; Retterer, J. M.; Beaujardiere, O. De La; Roddy, P. A.; Hunton, D.E.; Ballenthin, J. O.; Pfaff, Robert F.

2012-01-01

Broad plasma depletions in the equatorial ionosphere near dawn are region in which the plasma density is reduced by 1-3 orders of magnitude over thousands of kilometers in longitude. This phenomenon is observed repeatedly by the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite during deep solar minimum. The plasma flow inside the depletion region can be strongly upward. The possible causal mechanism for the formation of broad plasma depletions is that the broad depletions result from merging of multiple equatorial plasma bubbles. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of the merging mechanism with new observations and simulations. We present C/NOFS observations for two cases. A series of plasma bubbles is first detected by C/NOFS over a longitudinal range of 3300-3800 km around midnight. Each of the individual bubbles has a typical width of approx 100 km in longitude, and the upward ion drift velocity inside the bubbles is 200-400 m/s. The plasma bubbles rotate with the Earth to the dawn sector and become broad plasma depletions. The observations clearly show the evolution from multiple plasma bubbles to broad depletions. Large upward plasma flow occurs inside the depletion region over 3800 km in longitude and exists for approx 5 h. We also present the numerical simulations of bubble merging with the physics-based low-latitude ionospheric model. It is found that two separate plasma bubbles join together and form a single, wider bubble. The simulations show that the merging process of plasma bubbles can indeed occur in incompressible ionospheric plasma. The simulation results support the merging mechanism for the formation of broad plasma depletions.

Direct observation of ClO from chlorine nitrate photolysis. [as mechanism of polar ozone depletion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minton, Timothy K.; Nelson, Christine M.; Moore, Teresa A.; Okumura, Mitchio

1992-01-01

Chlorine nitrate photolysis has been investigated with the use of a molecular beam technique. Excitation at both 248 and 193 nanometers led to photodissociation by two pathways, ClONO2 yields ClO + NO2 and ClONO2 yields Cl + NO3, with comparable yields. This experiment provides a direct measurement of the ClO product channel and consequently raises the possibility of an analogous channel in ClO dimer photolysis. Photodissociation of the ClO dimer is a critical step in the catalytic cycle that is presumed to dominate polar stratospheric ozone destruction. A substantial yield of ClO would reduce the efficiency of this cycle.

Sources of Springtime Tropospheric Ozone Over North China: A Modeling Analysis of Ozonesonde and Satellite Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, H.; Chan, C.; Huang, J.; Zhang, Y.; Choi, H.; Crawford, J. H.; Considine, D. B.; Zheng, X.; Oltmans, S. J.; Liu, S. C.; Zhang, L.; Liu, X.; Thouret, V.

2012-12-01

Tropospheric ozone concentrations and emissions of NOx have both increased significantly over China as a result of rapid industrialization during the past decade. These trends degrade local and regional air quality and have important effects on background tropospheric ozone and surface ozone over downwind North Pacific and North America. In-situ observations of tropospheric ozone over China are therefore essential to testing and improving our understanding of the impact of Asian anthropogenic (versus natural) emissions and various chemical, physical, and dynamical processes on both regional and global tropospheric ozone. Despite their critical importance, in-situ observations of tropospheric ozone profiles over China have been few and far between in most of the country. To investigate the ensemble of processes that control the distribution, variability, and sources of springtime tropospheric ozone over China and its surrounding regions, an intensive ozonesonde sounding campaign, called Transport of Air Pollutants and Tropospheric Ozone over China (TAPTO-China), was conducted at nine locations across China in the springs of 2004 (South China) and 2005 (North China). In this paper, we use a global 3-D model of tropospheric chemistry (GEOS-Chem) to examine the characteristics of distribution and variability and quantify various sources of tropospheric ozone over North China by analysis of intensive ozonesonde data obtained at four stations in North / Northwest China during the second phase of TAPTO-China (April-May 2005). These four stations include Xining (36.43N, 101.45E), Beijing (39.80N, 116.18E), Longfengshan (44.44N, 127.36E), and Aletai (47.73N, 88.08E). We drive GEOS-Chem with two sets of assimilated meteorological observations (GEOS-4 and GEOS-5) from the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) of the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GAMO), allowing us to examine the impacts of variability in meteorology. We show that the observed tropospheric

Present-day distribution and trends of global tropospheric ozone from satellite observations: Results from the Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaudel, A.; Cooper, O. R.; Barret, B.; Boynard, A.; Clerbaux, C.; Pierre-Francois, C.; Huang, G.; Hurtmans, D.; Kerridge, B. J.; Latter, B.; Le Flochmoen, E.; Liu, X.; Neu, J. L.; Siddans, R.; Wespes, C.; Worden, H. M.; Ziemke, J. R.

2017-12-01

Tropospheric ozone is a greenhouse gas and pollutant detrimental to human health and crop and ecosystem productivity. Since 1990 a large portion of the anthropogenic emissions that react in the atmosphere to produce ozone have shifted from North America and Europe to Asia. This rapid shift, coupled with limited ozone monitoring in developing nations, has left scientists unable to answer the most basic questions: Is ozone continuing to decline in nations with strong emission controls? To what extent is ozone increasing in the developing world? IGAC's Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR) has been designed to answer these questions and this presentation will show the results from the TOAR-Climate initiative, focusing on the present-day distribution and trends of global tropospheric ozone from satellite observations. Five satellite products based on OMI (2 products using two different retrieval methods) and IASI (also 2 products using two different retrieval methods) and the OMI/MLS combined product were intercompared. An important result is the close agreement among the five products regarding the quantification of the total mass of all tropospheric ozone, the so called tropospheric ozone burden (TOB). The mean estimate for TOB between 60° N and 60° S is 296 Tg, with all products agreeing within ± 4%. However, on a regional basis the five satellite products have notable differences and there is no agreement in terms of ozone trends over the past decade. Continuing work is exploring the causes of these differences.

Atmospheric soundings by SPICAM occultation observations: aerosol and ozone vertical profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montmessin, F.

2005-12-01

The SPICAM instrument is a highly versatile, dual spectrometer probing both the UV and the NIR spectral region and is currently flying around Mars onboard Mars Express. Since the beginning of MEx operations, SPICAM has collected about thousand atmospheric profiles while observing in a solar or a stellar occultation mode. UV spectra bear the signatures of several species; i.e carbon dioxide, ozone and aerosols, while infrared spectra potentially bring information on atmospheric condensates and on water vapor. This presentation will focus on the measured aerosol, ozone and water vapor profiles. For the aerosol, we will emphasize the numerous observations made in the polar night and will also discuss some high altitude clouds discovered in the southern hemisphere. Ozone and water vapor profiles will be presented along with some General Circulation Model comparisons. This work has been supported by CNES.

50 years of monitoring of the ozone layer in the Czech Republic - results and challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanicek, Karel; Skrivankova, Pavla; Metelka, Ladislav; Stanek, Martin

2010-05-01

Long-term observations of total ozone (TOZ) and vertical ozone profiles, the basic parameters of the ozone layer, have been performed at the Solar and Ozone Observatory (SOO) Hradec Kralove and at the Aerological Department (AD) Praha of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI) since 1961 and 1992 respectively. The Dobson and Brewer spectrophotometers regularly calibrated towards the international references and electro-chemical ECC ozone sondes are used for the measurements. The observations contribute to the global GAW and NDACC ozone monitoring systems. Up to now analyses of the data give the basic findings given bellow and documented in the presentation. Some of them have important implication to the international ozone monitoring infrastructure, as well. - The decrease of TOZ by about 5-7 % in the winter-spring months towards the pre ozone-hole period have occurred since the mid eighties. This is in good agreement by the magnitude and time with depletion of the ozone layer due to chemical destruction of ozone in the NH mid-latitudes. - Significant depletion 3-5 % of TOZ has been identified also in the summer season since the early nineties. As this can not be attributed to the man-made chemical processes a change in the UT/LS dynamics over Central Europe is the most probable reason. - Aerological measurements taken at AD show that the summer reduction of TOZ very well coincides with a change of UT/LS temperature that persists for about two decades over the Czech territory. Therefore it has a long-term character that can be regarded as a climate shift in UT/LS and need to be further investigated. - 15 years of unique simultaneous Dobson/Brewer observations of TOZ performed at SOO show systematic seasonal deviations between both data sets that exceed instrumental accuracy of measurements. The differences are mostly caused by different wavelengths and their ozone absorption coefficients used by both instruments. As the Brewer observations are being

Ozone response to enhanced heterogeneous processing after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, Jose M.; Ko, M. K. W.; Sze, N. D.; Heisey, C. W.; Yue, G. K.; Mccormick, M. P.

1994-01-01

Increases in aerosol loading after the Pinatubo eruption are expected to cause additional ozone depletion. Even though aerosol loadings were highest in the winter of 1991-1992, recent analyses of satellite and ground-based ozone measurements indicate that ozone levels in the winter of 1992-1993 are the lowest recorded in recent years, raising the question of the mechanisms responsible for such behavior. We have incorporated aerosol surface areas derived from the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II (SAGE-II) measurements into our two-dimensional model. Inclusion of heterogeneous chemsitry on these enhanced aerosol surfaces yields maximum ozone reductions during the winter of 1992-1993 in the Northern Hemisphere, consistent with those derived from observations. This delayed behavior is due to the combination of the non-linear nature of the impact of heterogeneous reactions as a function of aerosol surface area, and the long time constants for ozone in the lower stratosphere. If heterogeneous mechanisms are primarily responsible for the low 1992-1993 ozone levels, we expect ozone concentrations to start recovering in 1994.

Dynamical component of seasonal and year-to-year changes in Antarctic and global ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tung, Ka Kit; Yang, HU

1988-01-01

The dynamics of the ozone concetration components of the Antarctic ozone hole as related to seasonal and year-to-year temperature changes in August, September, October, and November during the 1979-1985 period is studied using a zonally averaged model in which all transport fields are fixed by input temperature data. The results suggest that, prior to 1984, both the seasonal and year-to year variability of the zonal-mean Antarctic ozone minimum and the surrounding maximum can be accounted for by temperature dynamics without invoking changes in chemical composition (e.g., chlorine content) or special chemistry. The same dynamical mechanism also accounts for the good simulation of the observed seasonal and latitudinal structure of column ozone in other parts of the world. However, chemical depletion of ozone may have become more important after 1984. The model also appears to underpredict the September ozone decline in years, leading to an underprediction of the recent minimum values in the Antarctic ozone hole.