MONITORING AND PREDICTION OF UV-RADIATION IN AUSTRALIA

Because of its damaging impact on living matter, the flux of UV radiat ion at the earth's surface needs to be monitored and predicted. This r equirement has been highlighted in recent years by the measurable redu ction in global stratospheric ozone, which attenuates the flux of sola r UV radiation. However, over the last decade there has been substanti al progress in identifying the nature of stratospheric ozone depletion and in establishing international policies to respond to the problems associated with the emission of ozone-depleting substances into the a tmosphere. Notwithstanding the scientific and political progress, the international community recognises the need to develop much more robus t research and operational programs to ensure that the state of the st ratospheric ozone layer and the flux of UV radiation to the surface ca n be effectively monitored and predicted. Because the meteorology of t he southern hemisphere is quite different from that of the northern he misphere, these programs cannot be ignored in our region. Australia is the most developed country in the southern hemisphere which is affect ed by the annual Antarctic ozone 'hole', and so we should play a leadi ng role in these activities. In this paper, the current status of rese arch and operational programs is reviewed, and the prospects for futur e developments are considered.