The cause of giant ozone hole over the Arctic

The eruption of tropical volcanoes is responsible for the appearance of ozone holes in the Arctic.

Scientists of the Tomsk Institute of monitoring of climatic and ecological systems Siberian branch of RAS determined the cause of giant ozone hole over the Arctic. The research is aimed for publication in the journal Atmospheric Environment, said Deputy Director of the Institute corresponding member of RAS Vladimir Zuev.

“After the eruption of mount Merapi in the fall of 2010 in the tropical stratosphere is formed aerosol cloud. It warmed stratospheric air and led to the acceleration of the circumpolar vortex in the spring of 2011 — the large-scale Arctic cyclone”, — said the expert.

According to him, inside the vortex emerged the conditions necessary for the formation of the ozone hole, when “when abnormally low temperatures in the stratospheric cloud particles under the influence of solar radiation recovered active chlorine which destroyed ozone.”

After the destruction of the vortex ozone over the Arctic has recovered. According to experts, the eruption of tropical volcanoes is responsible for the appearance of ozone holes in the Arctic.

“As shown by our study, if the eruption of tropical volcanoes, the emissions of which fall into the stratosphere, occur in the autumn, almost with absolute probability, one should expect the formation of the spring ozone anomalies in the Arctic”, — said Zuev.

The eruption of the Merapi volcano on Java island (Indonesia) occurred on 26 October 2010. The natural phenomenon lasted two weeks, during this time, the atmosphere has got more than 50 million cubic meters of volcanic ash, basalt dust and sand. Killed 347 people, more than 400 thousand residents were evacuated.

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