Erythema UV-B exposure near the Antarctic Peninsula and comparison with an equatorial site

Observations of UV-B radiation in the area of the Antarctic Peninsula are described, with the objective to obtain an evaluation of the UV-B enhancements observed during ozone hole episodes, and compare these with equatorial values. The enhancements observed during Southern Hemisphere spring are described in terms of a specific case of enhancement, at the Antarctic peninsula, which has shown a maximum UV-B index of 8.7, in October 1998. The average enhancement between the autumn-unperturbed and spring-perturbed periods results in an UV-B index of 5.4, but with large fluctuations in which much larger indices are produced. These values are compared to indices normally observed in the equatorial region. For measurements obtained with the same kind of instrument at Natal (5.8 degrees S, 35.2 degrees W), the UV-B index varies between 7 and 14, which means that enhanced UV-B indices in the Antarctic Peninsula may become of the same order of magnitude of the lower limit equatorial values.