ACP Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ACP Atmos. Chem. Phys. 1680-7324 Copernicus Publications Göttingen, Germany 10.5194/acp-8-425-2008 Impacts of the solar eclipse of 29 March 2006 on the surface ozone concentration, the solar ultraviolet radiation and the meteorological parameters at Athens, Greece Tzanis C. 1 Varotsos C. 1 Viras L. 2 University of Athens, Department of Applied Physics, Panepistimiopolis Build. Phys. 5, 15784, Athens, Greece Ministry of Environment, Directorate of Air and Noise Pollution Control, 147, Patision Str., 11251 Athens, Greece 31 01 2008 8 2 425 430 Copyright: © 2008 C. Tzanis et al. 2008 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ This article is available from https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/8/425/2008/acp-8-425-2008.html The full text article is available as a PDF file from https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/8/425/2008/acp-8-425-2008.pdf

In this study the variations in the surface ozone concentration, the solar ultraviolet radiation and the meteorological parameters at the ground before, during and after the total solar eclipse of 29 March 2006 have been examined. This analysis is based on the measurements performed at four stations located in the greater Athens basin in Greece. The experimental data demonstrated that the solar eclipse phenomenon affects the surface ozone concentration as well as the temperature, the relative humidity and the wind speed near the ground. The decrease in the surface ozone concentration that observed after the beginning of the eclipse event lasted almost two hours, probably due to the decreased efficiency of the photochemical ozone formation. The reduction of the solar ultraviolet radiation at 312 and 365 nm reached 97% and 93% respectively, while the air temperature dropped, the relative humidity increased and the wind speed decreased.

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