Quantification of the depletion of ozone in the plume of Mount Etna

Mount Etna's volcanic plume significantly depletes ozone, with average reductions of 15–45% observed during ground-based measurements. The study found that reactive halogen species, particularly bromine, drive rapid ozone destruction within the early stages of the plume (1–4 minutes post-emission). A numerical model confirmed this chemistry, revealing a strong dependence on volcanic NOx emissions and suggesting near-vent ozone levels can serve as an indicator of NOx activity. The research highlights the role of high-temperature 'effective source regions' in generating reactive halogens, contributing to our understanding of volcanic atmospheric impacts.

Surl, L., Donohoue, D., Aiuppa, A., Bobrowski, N., & von Glasow, R. (2015). Quantification of the depletion of ozone in the plume of Mount Etna. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 15(5), 2613–2628. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-2613-2015