1 UV increase due to ozone loss
2 =============================
4 The chemical depletion of ozone in the stratosphere causes an increase
5 of ultraviolet radiation on the ground. The UV index is a measure of
6 the danger of the UV radiation. It corresponds to the
7 sunburn-effective solar irradiance.
9 This is a sample calculation [#FN1]_, how the UV index typically
10 changes at a certain latitude in winter and spring. Shown are
11 noontime values of the UV index at clear sky for the range of the
12 observed ozone columns of the years 2000 and 2012 (black) and
13 corresponding values for a given decrease the ozone column (blue). The
14 selection of the two values for geographical latitude and ozone loss
15 can be altered. The anthropogenically induced polar ozone depletion
16 takes place within the polar vortex, which in winter and spring is
17 well separated from the mid-latitudes. After the breakdown of the
18 polar vortex (in the Northern hemisphere typically at the latest in
19 early April), ozone-rich air from mid-latitudes will be transported
20 back into the polar regions.
22 In contrast to the Southern hemisphere, there are typically no
23 significant increases to very high UV indices in polar high latitudes
24 in the Northern hemisphere in the relevant period until April.
26 These graphs show how the maximum UV index (at noontime at clear sky)
27 would change due to ozone depletion in the Arctic polar vortex.
35 .. [#FN1] The mean values and standard deviations of the ozone columns were calculated from the database of Bodeker-Scientific (http://www.bodekerscientific.com). Calculation of the UV index for cloudless sky according to the method of Allaart et al. (Meteorological Applications, 11, 59-65, 2004)