Surface ozone measurements made in Antarctica during the 1960's show a pronounced annual variation with a summer minimum and winter to late winter maximum. Furthermore, the maximum in surface ozone precedes that in total ozone by from 3 to 5 months, the indication being a loose coupling between the Antarctic stratosphere, may be a consequence of the variation in low-level meridional transport of ozone from higher latitudes into the Antarctic continent by synoptic scale disturbances. As might be expected from a consideration of Antarctic geography and meteorology, no significant diurnal variations occur in surface ozone. The nonperiodic surface ozone fluctuations observed during the late spring and summer months at South Pole station are most likely caused by sporadic breakdowns of the low-level inversion layer. At the lower latitude stations, the day-to-day variations in surface ozone are in all likelihood associated with changes in weather systems. |