The clear answer emerged a few years later, following the achievement out-of a keen Antarctic journey led by the Susan: Chlorine is actually responsible
Susan Solomon was awarded brand new 2007 William Bowie Medal at the AGU Slide Appointment Celebrates Service, that has been stored on in San francisco, Calif. ”
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I’m particularly pleased tonight presenting Susan Solomon, that will receive perhaps one of the most esteemed AGU honors: the new William Bowie Medal.
As soon as new later 1970s, Susan try preparing their Ph.D. thesis on National Cardio to possess Atmospheric Lookup beneath the medical supervision from Paul Crutzen and you can Harold Johnston. Susan turned into fascinated by this new components affecting ozone or other chemical compounds regarding the higher ambiance. She reviewed this new susceptability off higher surroundings ozone so you’re able to effective dirt regarding solar power source, and you will displayed just how thermospheric perturbations of solar power passion you’ll propagate down seriously to the center as well as the lower polar ambiance. In the event that spring Antarctic ozone hole try said back in 1984, Susan realized that zero understood mechanism you certainly will determine that it dramatic and unpredicted perturbation. She offered a possible reason: Chlorine atoms coming from the fresh new industrially are manufactured chlorofluorocarbons, in the event that triggered on top out of freeze dust within polar nations, you will definitely destroy all of the lower stratospheric ozone in only good couple weeks. So it concept try confronted. Atmospheric dynamicists had advised you to definitely changes in the fresh atmospheric stream was an even more more than likely reason behind it noticed ozone depletion, whenever you are numerous chemists was indeed invoking the brand new character of the nitrogen oxides lead throughout the highest solar power craft periods. Their quantity was basically increased within the countries where polar stratospheric clouds was basically expose, and you can ozone are exhausted in just a matter of weeks. Susan considering the newest frontrunners toward earliest proportions exhibiting you to halocarbons will be cause for this new ozone opening. This advancement starred a definitive character in the decision made by the countries around the world in order to exclude the usage of chlorofluorocarbons. This year, we famous new 20th 
anniversary of the Montreal Protocol into safety of one’s ozone covering.clouds, and you can marine border layers.
The newest weather issue is today into the agenda many nations worldwide, but some state-of-the-art concerns are nevertheless getting handled. Susan decided to elucidate the fresh determine of one’s stratosphere throughout the weather program, and you will worried about the results from ozone and you can halocarbons towards environment.
Susan Solomon in the near future knew the need to promote very important medical abilities so you’re able to choice-firms and basically to your public. She made a decision to subscribe to numerous international environmental tests and, with quite a few out-of this lady colleagues, turned instrumental into the providing the medical base that lays within foundation for choices by the people. In past times five years, she served since cochair of the Intergovernmental Panel toward Environment Changes (IPCC) Doing work Category We. This IPCC report, wrote into the 2007, produced headlines and you will smooth how to own measures to your weather changes. The effort, and this got more than 36 months off serious hobby and you may in it researchers from more than one hundred regions, got a primary effect on this new political plan that at some point result in minimization and you can type steps necessary to manage mankind regarding unfavorable environment changes. Has just, brand new Norwegian Nobel Committee approved the fresh 2007 Nobel Comfort Honor to former Vice president Al Gore as well as the IPCC.
In the end, I wish to emphasize the significant educational character starred of the Susan Solomon. Also the lady medical facts, Susan discussed greatly in order to advising anyone with the weather changes and you may ozone destruction. She entrained a new age group out-of scientists which read the fresh fragility of our planet and you will, by way of this lady enthusiasm and you may mentoring enjoy, keeps fostered new careers of a lot young scientists.
