What are the factors influencing ozone concentrations?
• Stratospheric sulfate aerosols. Large explosive volcanoes place a significant amount of aerosols into the lower stratosphere, as well as some chlorine. • Tropical stratospheric winds. Since stratospheric winds move ozone, not destroy it, the loss of one latitude is the gain of another and globally the effects cancel out. • Greenhouse gases. Senarios of global warming predict cooler stratospheric temperatures, leading to more polar stratospheric clouds and more active chlorine in the area of the antarctic ozone hole. • Sunspot cycle. This 11 year cycle is related to magnetic changes within the sun which increase the solar UV output. • Stratospheric chlorine and bromine. These substances come mostly from man-made halocarbons.
