Extensive reduction of surface UV radiation since 1750 in world's populated regions

Kvalevåg, Maria Malene; Myhre, Gunnar; Myhre, C. E. Lund

doi:10.5194/acp-9-7737-2009

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 68 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Another study has estimated that there may have been a reduction in annual mean UV of up to 20% since 1750 in some industrialized regions. 51 Changes in UV radiation due to changes in aerosol optical depth observed in Thessaloniki, Greece, over the period 1997-2005, have been consistent with the broad trends. 52 A recent update 53 reported a decrease of~7% per decade in aerosol optical depth and an increase of~9% per decade in UV-B irradiance over the period 1991-2006.…”

Section: Global Dimming and Brightening Effectssupporting

confidence: 61%

Ozone depletion and climate change: impacts on UV radiation

McKenzie

Aucamp²,

Bais

et al. 2011

Photochem Photobiol Sci

439

279

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Montreal Protocol is working, but it will take several decades for ozone to return to 1980 levels. The atmospheric concentrations of ozone depleting substances are decreasing, and ozone column amounts are no longer decreasing. Mid-latitude ozone is expected to return to 1980 levels before mid-century, slightly earlier than predicted previously. However, the recovery rate will be slower at high latitudes. Springtime ozone depletion is expected to continue to occur at polar latitudes, especially in Antarctica, in the next few decades. Because of the success of the Protocol, increases in UV-B radiation have been small outside regions affected by the Antarctic ozone hole, and have been difficult to detect. There is a large variability in UV-B radiation due to factors other than ozone, such as clouds and aerosols. There are few long-term measurements available to confirm the increases that would have occurred as a result of ozone depletion. At mid-latitudes UV-B irradiances are currently only slightly greater than in 1980 (increases less than ~5%), but increases have been substantial at high and polar latitudes where ozone depletion has been larger. Without the Montreal Protocol, peak values of sunburning UV radiation could have been tripled by 2065 at mid-northern latitudes. This would have had serious consequences for the environment and for human health. There are strong interactions between ozone depletion and changes in climate induced by increasing greenhouse gases (GHGs). Ozone depletion affects climate, and climate change affects ozone. The successful implementation of the Montreal Protocol has had a marked effect on climate change. The calculated reduction in radiative forcing due to the phase-out of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) far exceeds that from the measures taken under the Kyoto protocol for the reduction of GHGs. Thus the phase-out of CFCs is currently tending to counteract the increases in surface temperature due to increased GHGs. The amount of stratospheric ozone can also be affected by the increases in the concentration of GHGs, which lead to decreased temperatures in the stratosphere and accelerated circulation patterns. These changes tend to decrease total ozone in the tropics and increase total ozone at mid and high latitudes. Changes in circulation induced by changes in ozone can also affect patterns of surface wind and rainfall. The projected changes in ozone and clouds may lead to large decreases in UV at high latitudes, where UV is already low; and to small increases at low latitudes, where it is already high. This could have important implications for health and ecosystems. Compared to 1980, UV-B irradiance towards the end of the 21st century is projected to be lower at mid to high latitudes by between 5 and 20% respectively, and higher by 2-3% in the low latitudes. However, these projections must be treated with caution because they also depend strongly on changes in cloud cover, air pollutants, and aerosols, all of which are influenced by climate change, and their future is uncertain. S...

show abstract

Section: Global Dimming and Brightening Effectssupporting

confidence: 61%

Ozone depletion and climate change: impacts on UV radiation

McKenzie

Aucamp²,

Bais

et al. 2011

Photochem Photobiol Sci

439

279

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Moreover, reconstruction of UV radiation during the last decades has gained scientific interest with respect to the well‐known evolution of ozone layer and the general variation of climate (Fioletov et al ., ; Kvalevag et al ., ; Wang et al ., ). Although Wei et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, reconstruction of UV radiation during the last decades has gained scientific interest with respect to the well-known evolution of ozone layer and the general variation of climate (Fioletov et al, 2001;Kvalevag et al, 2009;Wang et al, 2013b). Although Wei et al (2006) have studied the long-term relationship between UV radiation and ozone in China using Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) products, our earlier studies (Hu et al, 2010a;Wang et al, 2013a) have studied the interannual variations of UV radiation in Beijing and Wuhan during the past 50 years; Hu et al (2010c) has preliminarily analysed the characteristics of UV radiation in arid and semi-arid regions of China, there is no more studies focusing on analysing the long-term trends of UV radiation in Northwest China, which make it necessary for developing efficient models for investigating UV variability in this area.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

UVvariability in an arid region of Northwest China from measurements and reconstructions

Wang

Gong

Feng³

et al. 2014

Intl Journal of Climatology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Ultraviolet radiation (UV) observed at Fukang (FK), China from 2004 to 2012 was used to investigate UV variability and its relationship with global solar radiation (G) under various sky conditions in Northwest China. Clearness index (Kt) was used for characterizing the sky conditions and UV model development, it was discovered that clear skies were the dominated sky conditions (48.72%), followed by partly cloudy (32.56%) and overcast (18.72%) skies. Daily FUV (fraction of UV to G) increased from November to June with an annual mean of 4.00% at FK. Meanwhile, an efficient all‐sky UV model under any sky conditions has been proposed by investigating the dependence of hourly UV irradiations on Kt and cosine of solar zenith angle μ. The model was assessed through the statistical indices: mean bias error (MBE), mean absolute bias error (MABE) and root mean square error (RMSE) whose values were 1.27 (−0.24), 4.64 (4.56) and 6.26% (6.14%), respectively at hourly (daily) basis. The model has also been tested at three other sites with distinctly different climates in China. Finally, daily UV radiation during 1961–2012 in Northwest China was reconstructed and annual mean daily UV irradiation was about 0.603 MJ m−2 d−1. UV decreased at 0.62 KJ m−2 d−1decade−1 during the whole study period and the decreases were sharpest in spring (3.28 KJ m−2 d−1decade−1), however, there was an increasing trend at the rate of 2.16 KJ m−2 d−1year−1 since 1991.

show abstract

Fluorescence capturing behaviour of cyanobacterial resilience: Insights into UV‐exposed ecosystems and its environmental applications

R.,

M Basalingappa,

et al. 2024

Luminescence

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Cyanobacteria are resilient microorganisms and thrive in environments exposed to UV radiation, ranging from ocean surfaces to scorching hot springs and dry expanses. ‘Cyanobacterial Resilience’ refers to their ability to withstand UV radiation, revealing intricate genomic secrets and adaptive mechanisms ensuring survival. These mechanisms include metabolic adaptations, robust DNA repair systems and UV‐protective compounds such as Scytonemin and Mycosporine, vital for shielding against UV radiation survival. Cyanobacteria are crucial pioneers in UV‐exposed ecosystems, highlighting their resilience and adaptability. Some cyanobacteria exhibit luminescence, emitting blue‐green light due to phycobiliproteins, while bioluminescence in cyanobacteria, if it occurs, involves different compounds rather than luciferins and luciferase enzymes. This luminescence holds promise for various biotechnological applications, such as biosensors, imaging probes and carbon sequestration, for participating in photocatalytic processes for water purification and CO2 conversion, and contributes to solar simulation studies to advance photosynthesis and renewable energy technologies. The versatile applications of these materials highlight their ecological importance and potential in addressing global challenges. In conclusion, ‘Cyanobacterial Resilience’ highlights the remarkable adaptation strategies of cyanobacteria in UV‐exposed environments. It emphasises their role as pioneers and innovators in biological and technological domains, providing insights into their enduring impact on ecosystems and scientific advancement.

show abstract

Extensive reduction of surface UV radiation since 1750 in world's populated regions

Cited by 9 publications

References 68 publications

Ozone depletion and climate change: impacts on UV radiation

Ozone depletion and climate change: impacts on UV radiation

UVvariability in an arid region of Northwest China from measurements and reconstructions

Fluorescence capturing behaviour of cyanobacterial resilience: Insights into UV‐exposed ecosystems and its environmental applications

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About