Ozone and temperature changes in the stratosphere following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo

Global variations in stratospheric ozone and lower stratospheric temperature are documented for the period 1991-1994, following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991. The ozone observations show substanatial decreases in column ozone (of order 5-10%) over large regions of the globe; largest losses are observed in northern hemisphere middle-high latitudes during winter-spring of each year (largest in 1992-1993), over southern hemisphere high latitudes in spring 1993, and episodically over the tropics during 1991-1993. Temperatures are anomalously warm (by order 1 K) over 30°N-S for one to two years following the eruption. Significant cold anomalies are also observed over the northern hemisphere polar cap during summer 1993. -from Authors