Ozone independent research projects (TOMS)

TEACHER COPY

PROJECT 5

Previously we learned that ozone amounts change. To learn about how ozone values change in different parts of the globe, use the TOMS website to complete the chart provided and answer the questions that follow.

Objectives: the student will be able to:

-use TOMS ozone data to determine how ozone varies:

*in specific regions of the Earth WITHIN one seasonal cycle
*in specific regions over the long-term
*slightly with different satellite instrumentation

Summary: The hardest part of this project is reading the maps. You might want to call up a data map for that class and do one as an example. The answers for the chart are provided below, but please keep in mind that student answers might vary +/- 25 DU. (ALSO, the answers to the questions use NIMBUS-7 data for 1980 and 1990. Some students might use other satellites and get different results.) Still, conclusions should be similar.

Materials: Be sure and print the WORKSHEET for this project.

Answers to worksheet:

For use with PROJECT 5
Ozone (DU)- 1980 from the _NIMBUS-7_ satellite

	February 1	May 1	August 1	November 1
North Pole	n/a	475	350	n/a
YOUR TOWN	375	350	300	325
Japan	400	450	325	275
Equatorial Africa	250	275	275	275
South Africa	275	225	275	275
Central Australia	250	250	250	275
South Pole	275	n/a	n/a	225

Ozone (DU)- 1990 from the _NIMBUS-7__ satellite

	February 1	May 1	August 1	November 1
North Pole	n/a	375	300	n/a
YOUR TOWN	275	300	325	275
Japan	350	400-450	350	325
Equatorial Africa	250	275	275	275
South Africa	250	250	250	275
Central Australia	250	250	275	275
South Pole	300	n/a	n/a	150

Ozone (DU)- (latest full year) from the ____________ satellite

	February 1	May 1	August 1	November 1
North Pole	n/a	vary	vary	n/a
YOUR TOWN	vary	vary	vary	vary
Japan	vary	vary	vary	vary
Equatorial Africa	vary	vary	vary	vary
South Africa	vary	vary	vary	vary
Central Australia	vary	vary	vary	vary
South Pole	vary	n/a	n/a	vary

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:

Questions for Project 5
1. Which area had the most variation WITHIN 1980?_________________
1990?_________________
last year?______________

1. Usually, the poles have the biggest variations.

2. What areas had significant decreases June-August? ____________
3. Did any area have noticeable losses of ozone between 1980 and last year?

2. North Pole
3. South Pole

4. Why do you think it is important to know what satellite gave you your data?

4. Every scientific instrument has a different calibration. Therefore, while the TRENDS might be the same, each satellite might have a small difference in its accuracy.

5. How did the ozone variation over your town differ from other regions on the Earth?
6. Was there any region that had little ozone variation WITHIN a year (less than 30 DU)?
7. Using the chart and the answers to the questions above, write at least 3 conclusions about how ozone varies.

5,6. Answers vary widely with data recorded in their chart.
7. Ozone usually:
-varies more at the poles than at the equator in a given year
-vaires more at the South Pole in terms of long-term decreases
Other conclusions will vary with data recorded in their chart.

Coding:
Maryland Core Learning Goals (Science):
National Standards (Science): A1,3,4,5 ; B4,6 ; D2 ; F1,4 ; G3
National Standards (Geography): 1, 2, 3, 14
National Standards (Mathematics): 1, 2.2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 10.1, 10.2, 10.4, 10.7, 10.8

Head Page - Background - Credits - OVERVIEW OF ALL PROJECTS

PROJECT 1 TEACHER COPY

PROJECT 2 TEACHER COPY

PROJECT 3 TEACHER COPY

PROJECT 4 TEACHER COPY

PROJECT 5 PRINTABLE WORK SHEET