TOMS Ozone at the South Pole: September Averages from 1979 through 2000
The year 2000's Antarctic ozone hole is the largest ever observed. Scientists continue to investigate the phenomenon, and are somewhat surprised by its scale. Using data from NASA's Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument onboard the Earth Probe satellite, researchers can evaluate and compare current conditions over the south pole to readings taken by other instruments in years past. Continued monitoring of polar ozone levels helps researchers gain a better understanding of how the planet's climate may be changing. The following animation shows how ozone loss at the south pole has grown since the mid-80s. Early readings over Antarctica indicate little or no ozone depletion beyond naturally predicted levels. But as the 80s and 90s progress, a clear change in atmospheric chemistry takes place at the bottom of the world. The hole starts small in the late 80s and spreads as subsequent winter cycles break apart ozone molecules.
Total ozone over the South Pole for each September from 1979 through 2000 as measured by the TOMS instruments on Nimbus 7, Meteor 3, and Earth Probe. Dark blue represents regions of very low ozone concentration in the stratosphere.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1979.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1980.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1981.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1982.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1983.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1984.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1985.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1986.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1987.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1988.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1989.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1990.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1991.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1992.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1993.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1994.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1996.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1997.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1998.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 1999.
Stratospheric Ozone level averaged over September, 2000.
Video slate image reads, "TOMS Ozone
September Yearly Averages".
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Scientific Visualization Studio
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Animator
- Greg Shirah (NASA/GSFC)
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Scientist
- Paul Newman (NASA/GSFC)
Release date
This page was originally published on Tuesday, October 3, 2000.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:58 PM EDT.
Series
This visualization can be found in the following series:Datasets used in this visualization
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Total Ozone [Earth Probe: TOMS]
ID: 299 -
Total Ozone [Meteor-3: TOMS]
ID: 348 -
Total Ozone [Nimbus-7: TOMS]
ID: 425
Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details, nor the data sets themselves on our site.