Thesis Topic:

SATELLITE-BORNE AND GROUND-BASED TOTAL OZONE COLUMN CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES: COMPARISONS AND VARIABILITY

The ozone layer is under threat due to warming in the troposphere brought about by the increase of greenhouse gases (GHG) concentrations.  Warming in the troposphere makes the stratosphere cooler producing polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) that support chemical reactions that produce active chlorine which destroys ozone.  Ozone measurements and analyses with different platforms (satellite-borne and ground-based) instruments must still be performed as they remain essential even after the Montréal protocol. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) measures daily total ozone column as a contribution to the Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) Program of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) [2006-2013] and is being carried out with a Dobson Spectrophotometer. This study will investigate the current condition, short-term trend, and variation of total ozone column concentrations above the Philippines. The effects of tropical cyclones to the total ozone column will also be investigated through the Weather Research Forecasting (WRF) model. This study is the first of its kind and the results would serve as the baseline data for the Philippines.