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Komhyr et al. 1994
Komhyr, W.D., Grass, R.D., Evans, R.D., Leonard, R.K., Quincy, D.M., Hofmann, D.J. and Koenig, G.L. (1994). Unprecedented 1993 ozone decrease over the United States from Dobson spectrophotometer observations. Geophysical Research Letters 21: doi: 10.1029/93GL03546. issn: 0094-8276.

Dobson spectrophotometer observations conducted since the early-to-mid 1960s at Bismarck, North Dakota; Caribou, Maine; Boulder, Colorado; Wallops Island, Virginia; Nashville, Tennessee; and at Fresno, California, since 1983, have revealed record low total ozone values during 1993. The tendency toward the low ozone values began in May 1992, but accelerated in early 1993. During January--August 1993, ozone monthly means at the stations were more than 2 standard deviations below long-term normal monthly means 72% of the time and more than 3 standard deviations below normals 42% of the time. On average, the January--April 1993 ozone values were 12.6% below normal, with ozone deficits as large as 18% observed at Caribou and Wallops Island in January. Of particular concern are unusually low ozone values that occur in summertime when solar ultraviolet insolation is high. Such record lows occurred at four of the six stations (Caribou, Walllops Island, Frenso, and Nashville). During May--August 1993, ozone was on average 8.5% below normal at these sites. Monthly means at these stations were, furthermore, lower on average by 3.7% than corresponding lowest values observed there in the past. The ozone decrease of 12.6% below normal at the six continental Dobson instrument stations during the winter and spring months of 1993 implies a possible average increase in UV erythemal radiation at that time of 16--25% above normal. The 8.5% decrease in ozone at Caribou, Wallops Island, Fresno, and Nashville, implies that on average, UV erythemal radiation may have been higher than normal at these stations during the summer of 1993 by 11--17%.

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Keywords
Atmospheric Composition and Structure, Middle atmosphere—composition and chemistry, Atmospheric Composition and Structure, Troposphere—composition and chemistry, Atmospheric Composition and Structure, Instruments and techniques, Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics, Middle atmosphere dynamics
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
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Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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