UV radiation information on CD
A CD released this week makes UV information available to the community. UV Atlas allows UV intensities in different parts of New Zealand to be compared directly, and quantifies long term changes in UV that have occurred in recent years. The product is the culmination of several years of research to make UV information more accessible to the community.
NIWA produced the disc, which will be useful for epidemiological studies, and for other environmental researchers, manufacturers, schools, and universities. The initial data coverage is from 1979 to 2001, and updates will be made available though the internet. For more information about this product, see www.niwa.co.nz/services/uvozone/atlas.
The NIWA disc will be released at a major international workshop – “UV Radiation and its Effects” – held at the Antarctic Centre, Christchurch, on 26–28 March (more information). Sponsors for the meeting include NIWA, The National Science Strategy Committee for Climate Change, The Ministry for the Environment, The Royal Society of New Zealand, and The Cancer Society.
New Zealand has relatively high levels of UV, which adversely impact human health, the environment, and some materials used in outdoor applications. The medical costs of skin cancer treatments alone are NZ$33M annually. UV has increased in recent years as a result of ozone depletion, and although the causes of ozone depletion are understood, any future recovery may be delayed by possible interactions with global warming.
The aim of the meeting is to provide a forum for discussion among groups involved with all aspects of the causes and effects of changes in UV radiation, from changes in atmospheric composition, to ozone depletion, increases in UV, and the effects of these changes on human health, the environment, and materials. The focus will be on the New Zealand region, but there will also be several speakers from USA, Australia, South Africa, and Fiji. The workshop will include discussions on interactions between global warming and ozone depletion, reporting of UV to the public, and identifying future needs for research.
