Stephen Wood

NIWA

What we do: This research investigates the Antarctic atmosphere's role in global change, its response to that change, and its impact on it surroundings. One component of this is measurements of atmospheric composition in Antarctica using ground based instruments. We have measurements of ozone (using a Dobson spectrophotometer) and of several other important trace gases in the atmosphere.

Why we do it: Springtime Antarctic ozone depletion is due to man-made chlorine chemicals in the stratosphere. This depletion has impacts on UV radiation in the Antarctic and, due to atmospheric circulation, at places in the mid-latitudes such as New Zealand in the summer.  Although ozone-destroying chlorine has already begun to decline, the recovery of ozone will take some time.  Testing model-based predictions with Antarctic observations will give early insight into ozone recovery. Changes in greenhouse gases, including ozone, affect the radiative balance of the atmosphere in ways that are not yet fully understood. The Antarctic provides a unique opportunity to determine global trends of atmospheric trace gases at sites isolated from anthropogenic sources.

Metadata links

Measurements of the total amount of ozone in the vertical column of the atmosphere from a ground based Dobson spectrophotometer at Arrival Heights
Spectrometer measurements of ozone and nitrogen dioxide from Arrival Heights
Infrared  spectrometer measurements of nitric (HNO3) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) from Arrival Heights using a Bruker 120M spectrometer
Springtime chlorine dioxide and bromine monoxide measurements from a diode array spectrometer
Spectrometer sunlight and moonlight measurements of Ozone (O3), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Chlorine Dioxide (OClO) and Bromine Oxide (BrO) from Arrival Heights
Column and vertical profiles of chlorine monoxide from a heterodyne spectrometer
Arrival Heights surface ozone concentration TEI