Abstract
The relationship between some meteorological parameters and variation of total column ozone (TCO) concentration in Nigeria is studied from 1998-2012. The results using a descriptive analysis revealed a seasonal ozone variation having the same trend in all the stations during the period of study. High variability of TCO occurred between December and March coinciding with the period of dry season and low variability of TCO was observed in August coinciding with the period of rainy season. The observed trends in all the stations show that the TCO variation in Nigeria is mostly caused by natural occurrences. Calabar and Port Harcourt stations showed a high percent of TCO variability, while Kano and Maiduguri indicated a low percentage of TCO variability. Using Spearman correlation analysis, TCO concentration has a strong negative correlation with temperature in some stations with correlation coefficient (r) (-0.8392, -0.8531, -0.7832, -8881 and -0.7902) for Calabar, Port Harcourt, Makurdi, Lagos and Ilorin respectively. Kano and Maiduguri showed a weak positive correlation coefficient (r) 0.4965 and 0.3776 respectively. Positive correlation observed in Kano and Maiduguri could be as a result of high dehydration of water vapour in these stations due to seasonal harmattan and latitudinal effects. Probably, some of the substances that could deplete ozone such as HCl, aerosol are soluble in water thereby being washed off by rain during wet season leading to maximum TCO concentration during rainy season. Consequently, the observed phenomenon is through transportation of ozone content through the influence of Brewer-Dobson circulation. Again, during wet season, there is the mechanism of low pressure and lower tropopause height phenomenon, therefore, total ozone enhancement. Interestingly, variation in TCO is part of symbolic tools for tropospheric meteorology alteration and this invariably leads to climate change.
Highlights
Atmospheric ozone (O3) is the key trace constituent that participates in the chemistry and radiation of the earth’s middle atmosphere
Months of high variability of ozone concentration in all the stations coincided with the period of dry season and low variability of ozone concentration coincided with the period of rainy season
From the study of investigating the contributions of total ozone variation on rainfall and temperature during the two seasons obtained in Nigeria, we make the following deductions: 1) It is ascertained that ozone concentration shows strong seasonality
Summary
Atmospheric ozone (O3) is the key trace constituent that participates in the chemistry and radiation of the earth’s middle atmosphere. Stratospheric ozone is one of the most important constituents in the middle atmosphere, because it is the only atmospheric species that effectively absorbs ultraviolet (UV) solar radiation from 2000 to 3000 Å, thereby protecting plant and animal lives from exposure to harmful radiation. Negative variation of this layer could lead to excessive absorption of ultraviolet (UV) radiations that could destroy human beings and ecosystem [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]. Ozone can be produced and destroyed through photochemical process [2]
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