Depletion of the Ozone Layer Following the Pinatubo Eruption: A Case Study for Ozone/Chlorofluorocarbon/Aerosol Chemistry

The abundance of stratospheric ozone decreased substantially over much of the globe following the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. This spectacular eruption provided direct evidence for chemical perturbations to the reactive nitrogen and chlorine families and hence to ozone loss rates. This talk focuses on the large seasonal and latitudinal variations in the ozone response and their relationship to chlorofluorocarbon chemistry. Finally, the recovery of the stratosphere following the eruption is as important as the depletion, and recent observations of the ozone layer and its relationship to stratospheric aerosols will also be shown to demonstrate the key role of chlorine/aerosol interactions in modifying the state of the stratospheric ozone layer.