Correlation of ozone loss with the presence of volcanic aerosols

Abstract : Statistically significant reductions of ozone compared to a climatological profile have been measured above the Observatoire de Haute Provence (OHP) in Southern France (43.9°N, 5.7°E) during the months of July and August, 1992. Lidar profiles of ozone, temperature and aerosols were recorded on 25 separate nights during that time. The change in the ozone profile is correlated with the presence of volcanic aerosols from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. The total ozone loss amounts to approximately a 10% reduction in the total ozone column over OHP.