Environmental Science Activities for the 21st Century (ESA21), Kennesaw State University
Abstract
High levels of ultraviolet light can be harmful to many biological systems, as this higher energy radiation has a mutagenic effect on plant and animal cells. This activity studies the relationship between the amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation that gets to Earth's surface and the amount of stratospheric ozone overhead. Users plot remote sensing data from the NASA Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) satellite and UV monitors at the South Pole to see if any correlation exists between the two variables. Links to related sites and to a radio program from Naional Public Radio on the ozone hole that appeared over the Arctic in 2000 are provided. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, High school