O-3 profiles from GOME satellite data-II: Observations in the Arctic spring 1997 and 1998

Ozone observations by the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) on boar d the ERS-2 satellite during the Arctic spring periods 1997 and 1998 are pr esented. From the derived ozone vertical distributions, extensive regions o f low ozone total column were observed and it is shown that the major decre ase is dominating in the lower and middle stratosphere inside the polar vor tex. The winter 1997/98 was warmer than the year before and less ozone depl etion was observed. In spring 1998 an ozone mini-hole event was observed by GOME and ozone profiles under minihole conditions were derived for the fir st time. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. ALI rights reserved.