Thursday, 14 March 2002
MEDIA RELEASE - HEAD OFFICE
Antarctic climate changing: US scientist
The Antarctic is the site of spectacular global change, according to celebrated American scientist Dr Susan Solomon. Dr Solomon will discuss the state of Antarctica's unusual atmosphere on Friday in Melbourne. Her lecture will be presented at the Bureau of Meteorology's World Meteorological Day celebrations in an address entitled From the stratosphere to the ice shelves: Climate change in the southern hemisphere.
World Meteorological Day celebrates the coming into force of the Convention of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on 23 March 1950. Last year's address was delivered by Dr Sharman Stone, MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, on the 2001 World Meteorology Day theme of Volunteers for Weather, Climate and Water. Dr Stone, who has Ministerial responsibility for the Australian Antarctic Division and the Bureau of Meteorology, welcomed Dr Solomon's visit to Australia for the 2002 address and for a number of other lectures and meetings on climate and climate change.
Dr Solomon was the first person to show that the primary cause of the ozone hole over Antarctica was the presence of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gases that have been used in refrigeration, air-conditioning, spray cans, and other products. Her discovery in the mid-1980s was instrumental in persuading the world to curtail the use of CFCs.
Ozone traps ultraviolet light from the sun and heats the stratosphere about 10-30 kilometres above the Earth. With less ozone, less heat is trapped, and the Antarctic stratosphere is now much colder. Growing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere - the greenhouse effect - also act to cool the stratosphere, even though they warm the surface. The increasing chill in the stratosphere helps CFCs destroy ozone more efficiently, and may cause a slow increase in the size of the ozone hole in coming decades.
The climate at the surface of Antarctica has also changed in recent decades, becoming colder in the continent's interior but warming on the Antarctic Peninsula. The warning has led to spectacular changes in some of Antarctica's ice shelves.
Immediately before Dr Solomon's address, which will commence at 11.30am, the Director of Meteorology, Dr John Zillman, will welcome guests to the World Meteorological Day celebrations. Excellence and Long Service Awards to Bureau staff will be presented by former Ministers responsible for the Bureau, the Hon Peter Nixon and the Hon Barry Jones. Former Australian Ambassador for the Environment, the Rt Hon Sir Ninian Stephen will speak on behalf of the guests to thank Dr Solomon for her address.
Further information: J.W. Zillman, Director of Meteorology, tel: (03) 9669 4558
Contact: Mark Jenkin, Public Affairs, tel (03) 9669 4552
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