Implications of Stratospheric Ozone Variability For Climate Change Over Some Selected Stations In Northern Nigeria.

Abstract

The sun is the major source of energy that drives the entire atmospheric processes. The insolation from the sun is responsible for the wind pattern experienced on earth. The harmful part of the radiation from the sun is shielded from the earth by two layers namely; the stratospheric ozone and the tropospheric ozone. In this paper, a study of the statistical analysis of total ozone concentration as released by Earth Probe Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (EPTOMS Satellite) was used to get the total ozone variability in some selected stations in northern Nigeria. The annual coefficient of relative variability (ACRV) of ozone at these stations over a period of 72 months from January 2009 to December 2014 was carried out. The climate variables of average annual temperature and rainfall for this stations were obtained from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) office in Oshodi, Lagos. The climatological station used for the study include; Yelwa, Sokoto,Zamfara, Katsina,Kano,Dutse,Damaturu and Maiduguri. The results of the findings showed that there was a variation in the average value of stratospheric ozone between 4.2% and 6.8%.A strong positive correlation of 0.92 was observed between the ACRV of ozone and average annual temperature, which increased from 12°C at Kebbi to 25% at the hot arid north of Maiduguri. Also a negative correlation of -0.32 was observed between the ACRV of ozone and the average annual precipitation over the region which varied from an average of 718.4mm to 1053.7mm. Maximum ozone inter-annual variability of between 6% and 10% occurred between December and March, coinciding with the dry Harmattan season, while the minimum of between 2% and 4% occurred between June and September coinciding with the raining season.The findings of this study reveals that the higher temperature characterize of the study area could be accounted for by the ACRV. This variability of ozone if properly monitored will assist in the prediction of rainfall and temperature variability as the thermal processes observed in the atmosphere is responsible for the convective activities.It will also serve as a good tool for the monitoring of climate variability in the zone.