Any spike in UV radiation can impact both the Arctic ecosystem and human health, research leader Rex noted. For instance, more sunlight can slow the growth of certain species of ocean algae that provide food for larger organisms—and whose absence can have reverberations up the food chain.
(See "'Crazy Green' Algae Pools Seen in Antarctic Sea.")
More worrisome, Rex said, is that ozone-depleted air can catch a ride south to more highly populated areas with the Arctic polar vortex.
Low-ozone air is often pushed southward to 40 or 45 degrees latitude by natural atmospheric disturbances, Rex said. A low-ozone air mass's southern "excursions" can take it as far as northern Italy in Europe or New York or San Francisco in the United States, he said.The rapidly shifting vortex might last into April, when people are starting to spend more time outside, NCAR's Tilmes noted.
"A good message for people [is] to just be aware that this is a year where ozone will be likely thinner this spring.
"You should watch out for your skin and put on your sunscreen."
Rex noted that, however, that since the mass is constantly moving, low-ozone episodes would only last a few days in a given region.
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