Biological UV-doses and the effect of an ozone layer depletion

Effective UV-doses were calculated based on the integrated product of the biological action spectrum (the one proposed by IEC, which extends to 400 nm, was adopted) and the spectral irradiance. The calculations include absorption and scattering of UV-radiation in the atmosphere, both for normal ozone conditions as well as for a depleted ozone layer. For Scandinavian latitudes the effective annual UV-dose increases by approximately 4% per degrees of latitude towards the Equator. An ozone depletion of one percent increases the annual UV-dose by approximately 1% at 60 degrees N (increases slightly at lower latitudes). A large depletion of 50% over Scandinavia (60 degrees N) would give these countries an effective UV-dose similar to that obtained, with normal ozone conditions, at a latitude of 40 degrees N (California or the Mediterranean countries). The Antarctic ozone hole increases the annual UV-dose by 20 to 25% which is a similar increase as that attained by moving 5 to 6 degrees of latitude nearer the Equator. The annual UV-dose at higher latitudes is mainly determined by the summer values of ozone. Both the ozone values and the effective UV-doses vary from one year to another (within +/- 4%). No positive or negative trend is observed for Scandinavia from 1978 to 1988.