Previous UV Bulletin

UV bulletins are short reports on current UV levels at NSF network locations. They are posted bi-weekly between September and December when the "ozone hole" is affecting UV levels at our Austral sites.

Bulletin 4/2006, issued 11/9/06
Reporting period: 10/18/06 - 11/8/06

Synopsis:
The ozone hole was centered over the South Pole and East-Antarctica during most of the reporting period. UV levels at Palmer Station and Ushuaia remained moderate due to the location of the ozone hole away from the Antarctic peninsula. UV intensities at the South Pole were above average. UV irradiances at McMurdo were close to the long-term mean, except of a spike on 11/6/06, when total ozone dropped below 180 DU.

McMurdo Station, Antarctica:
Between 10/18/06 and 11/2/06, UV levels at McMurdo Station varied about the long-term mean with maximum daily UV Indices ranging from 1.5 to 3.5. Between 11/4/06 and 11/9/06, total ozone dropped to values below 190 DU. This led to a spike in UV on 11/6/06, when the maximum daily UV Index was 5.9. This was the highest UV Index measured at McMurdo on this day since start of the monitoring program.

Palmer Station, Antarctica:
Palmer Station was located outside the area of the ozone hole, with the exception of 10/30/06, when total ozone dropped to 175 DU. UV intensities were below the long-term average calculated from measurements of the last 19 years. The daily maximum UV Index ranged between 1.5 and 5.0, with the exception of 10/30/06 and 10/31/06, when maximum daily UV Indices of 6.5 were measured. UV Indices as high as 12 have been observed historically in late October and early November at times when the center of the ozone hole was displaced toward the Antarctic Peninsula.

South Pole, Antarctica:
UV levels at the South Pole were above the long-term average, calculated from measurements of the last 16 years. The UV Index increased gradually from 0.8 on 10/18/06 to 2.4 on 11/8/06. Due to the low Sun at the South Pole, UV levels are generally smaller than at the Antarctic coast. However, human exposure to UV radiation is significant even for UV Indices below 3, due to radiation reflected off snow-covered ground.

Ushuaia, Argentina:
Ushuaia was located outside the area of the ozone hole during the entire period. UV levels varied about the average calculated from measurements of the last 18 years. The maximum daily UV Index ranged from 2.9 on 10/27/06 to 6.9 on 10/30/06. The maximum UV Index observed historically in late October was 10.5.

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