Solar ultraviolet absorption by sulphur dioxide in Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract

Abstract This work presents the climatology of the sulphur dioxide column over Thessaloniki derived from three years of observation with the Brewer spectrophotometer. The SO2 column averages 2.5 m atm‐cm and the shielding of UV‐B by SO2 is investigated and compared with the changes in shielding resulting from an anticipated ozone reduction. Columnar and surface SO2 concentrations over Thessaloniki appear to be typical of those in major industrial‐urban regions of the world. It is concluded that, for urban regions, predictions of changes in UV‐B as a result of man's activities must consider projections of changes in the SO2 column as well as ozone.