Evaluating spatial and temporal ozone distributions in the Pacific using Schools of the Pacific Climate and Rainfall Experiment observations

The Schools of the Pacific Rainfall and Climate Experiment (SPaRCE) is an ongoing program at the University of Oklahoma (OU) to collect climatological data from schools on islands and atolls in the Pacific Ocean. SPaRCE benefits the scientific community by providing observations in the sparsely instrumented Pacific Ocean. Participants benefit by receiving educational materials and supplies and interacting with each other and the scientists at OU. Several SPaRCE sites are now equipped with a MicroTOPS (Total Ozone Portable Spectrometer) to measure total column ozone.

Ozone is only a trace atmospheric constituent, but it has significant consequences for life on earth. In the troposphere ozone is a pollutant and has negative health impacts. Stratospheric ozone, however, attenuates harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun and is vital to life on earth. In the past two decade there has been increasing concern about anthropogenic effects on stratospheric ozone levels, but long-term measurements are needed to detect any real trends. Current satellite-based sensors allow daily measurements of global ozone, but these sensors need to be calibrated using ground-based measurments.

The value of the SPaRCE ozone measurements is being investigated. Three sites are being examined: Pohnpei, FSM (September 1996 - May 1999); Rarotonga, Cook Islands (August 1994 - October 1996); and Malapoa, Vanuatu (September 1994 - February 1996). SPaRCE ozone measurements have several potential advantages: uncontaminated observation sites, low cost, and flexibility. A key question concerns the accuracy of the data set. To assess this, the available data is being compared to expected theoretical values and satellite-based TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) observations. The data is also being examined for spatial and temporal patterns.