The Stratosphere in the Southern Hemisphere

The stratosphere over Antarctica is one of the most inaccessible places on the planet. During the antarctic winter, it extends from about 8 to 55 km above the surface, has temperatures colder than −90°C, and winds that are greater than 100 m s−1. Yet even this terribly remote and hostile region has felt man’s impact. The antarctic ozone hole is a clear example of how our industrial society can affect the atmosphere even in this remote corner of the earth. The tremendous ozone losses over Antarctica observed each spring have ultimately resulted from man-made chlorine compounds, and these ozone losses have led to increased levels of biologically harmful ultraviolet radiation at the earth’s surface. Understanding the meteorology of the southern stratosphere is the key to our understanding of the antarctic ozone hole.