Surface UV radiation over Australia, 1979-1992 - Effects of ozone and cloud cover changes on variations of UV radiation

Time series of daily erythemal UVR exposure, ozone, and cloud cover were analyzed over the Australian continent using data sets from TOMS from 1979-1992. The TOMS UVR exposures showed good agreement with data from surface observations. Using a relationship derived from comparisons of the TOMS partial cloud reflectivities with surface cloud cover observations, the TOMS reflectivities were converted into estimates of cloud cover for several Australian regions. It was shown that the deseasonalized time series of UVR exposures can be statistically described as a linear function of ozone and cloud cover anomalies. Results of a trend analysis indicated statistically significant increases in UVR exposures of 10 percent/decade in the summer months in the tropics. These were associated with a simultaneous depletion of ozone and a decrease in cloud cover. Midlatitudinal regions showed no significant trends of UVR. It was found that variations of ozone and UVR over Australia were significantly influenced by the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). An increase in zonal wind strength of 20 m/s was correlative with reductions of ozone of 1.7 percent and enhancements of UVR exposures of 2.2 percent. The results suggest that enhancements in summer UVR exposures of about 10-20 percent above the climatological average might be expected in years in which the QBO is in its westerly phase and the solar cycle is at its minimum. (Author)