Question

Let's say that you are a scientist working on ozone depletion and you want to do some field testing in the location where you would expect ozone depletion to be the most severe, and at the time when you would expect it to be the most depleted. Which of the following times and places would you choose for your field study?

Note: The term "austral" refers to the Southern Hemisphere, and "boreal" refers to the Northern Hemisphere.

Group of answer choices

Antarctica in the austral spring

Antarctica in the austral winter

Antarctica in the boreal spring

North Pole in the boreal spring

North Pole in the boreal winter

Answer 1

To conduct field testing on ozone depletion, you would choose **Antarctica in the austral spring**.

Here's why:

1. **Ozone Layer Dynamics**: Ozone depletion in the stratosphere is most pronounced during the austral spring (September to November) over Antarctica. This is when the conditions for ozone depletion are at their peak due to the presence of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) and the return of sunlight, which triggers the chemical reactions that lead to ozone depletion.

2. **Antarctica**: This region experiences some of the most severe ozone depletion, primarily due to the unique atmospheric conditions and the impact of human-made chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

In contrast:
- **Antarctica in the austral winter** (June to August) does not see significant ozone depletion because the sun is not present to initiate the chemical reactions.
- **Antarctica in the boreal spring** is not relevant since Antarctica is in the Southern Hemisphere, and thus the boreal spring (Northern Hemisphere) is not applicable.
- **North Pole in the boreal spring** or **boreal winter** are also not suitable choices since ozone depletion is primarily an issue in the Southern Hemisphere.

Overall, for the study of ozone depletion, the optimal choice is Antarctica in the austral spring.