20 Years of Monitoring the Ozone Layer Thickness and UV Radiation at Hoher Sonnblick 2015-09-30
The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management celebrated the 20-year anniversary of ozone and UV monitoring at Hoher Sonnblick on September 30th 2015. The unique measuring point that is Hoher Sonnblick (3106 m ASL) is especially relevant for monitoring UV radiation and the development of the stratospheric ozone layer. Located at the main ridge of the Alps it delivers measurement data since 1994 for all of Austria. With a combination of the meteorological and chemical data, gathered at Hoher Sonnblick Observatory an estimate of the interactions and relationships between the ozone layer and climate change can be established, as well as research on the relations and interactions of optical radiation and the atmosphere. Co-initiator of the measurements on Hoher Sonnblick was the meteorologist Inge Dirmhirn who was a pioneer in high-mountain and radiation research. She began measuring optical radiation in high-mountain terrain as early as the 1950s. In 1994, one year after the emeritus of Inge Dirmhirn continuous measurements of the ozone layer and UV radiation at Hoher Sonnblick were. Hence this anniversary event was dedicated to Inge Dirmhirn, who passed away in 2008 and was the first female professor at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences.