Antarctic Ozone Hole Updates from South Pole Ozonesondes

P. Cullis and B. Johnson

NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML), Boulder, CO 80305; 720-295-3260‬, E-mail: Patrick.Cullis@noaa.gov

NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML) launches high altitude balloons carrying ozonesondes and meteorological instruments from the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in order to measure the annual formation of the ozone hole over Antarctica. In the austral spring of 2023, ozonesondes launched from the South Pole measured a minimum of 111 Dobson Units on October 3, the 19^th lowest annual measurement in the 38 year record. We present updated statistics, observable trends, and unique results from analysis of the last couple of ozone hole formations and look into the variability due to global events including sudden stratospheric warming and volcanic eruptions.

Figure 1. Ozonesonde measurements of the 14-21 km layer above the South Pole, Antarctica along with statistical averages from 1986-2021.