Study of the Possible Impact of the Calbuco Volcano Eruption on the Abnormal Destruction of Stratospheric Ozone over the Antarctic in Spring 2015

Abstract

One of the strongest stratospheric ozone depletion events over the Antarctic was observed in October–November 2015. The increase in the ozone hole was associated with the eruption of Calbuco volcano (Chile) in April 2015, with a maximum plume altitude of ~17 km. Based on the ERA-Interim reanalysis data and the NOAA HYSPLIT trajectory model we estimate the possibility of the volcanic aerosol penetrating the polar vortex. It is shown that volcanic aerosol could not contribute to the intensification of ozone depletion reactions since it was outside the stable polar vortex.