Effect of Stratospheric Ozone Depletion on the Solar Ultraviolet Radiation Incident on the Surface of the Earth

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Abstract
Recent theoretical work indicates that the oxides of nitrogen that would be injected into the stratosphere by a fleet of supersonic transport aircraft could result in a significant depletion of natural stratospheric ozone. Since the stratospheric ozone layer shields the biosphere from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, there is concern about the biological effects of the increase in UV radiation that would attend a reduction in the present amount of natural ozone. The paper estimates the factor by which UV radiation would be increased as a function of percentage ozone depletion and wavelength. To illustrate a potentially significant biological effect of increased UV radiation, the attendant increase in erythemal (sunburn-producing) UV radiation dosage is calculated for several conditions of ozone depletion, radiation wavelength, and solar zenith angle.

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