Dr Ahmad Hasanien, a skin cancer expert explained that 'During summer, the Earth's orbit brings Australia closer to the sun, resulting in an additional 7% solar UV intensity. Coupled with our clearer atmospheric conditions, this means that Australians are exposed to up to 15% more UV than Europeans'.
Australia's unusually harsh sunshine results mainly from its location in the Southern Hemisphere. The elliptical orbit of the Earth places the Southern Hemisphere closer to the sun during its summer months than the Northern Hemisphere during its summer.
Taking all these factors together, southern hemisphere locations receive about 15% more UV radiation than the equivalent northern latitude location in any given year.
Australia is near the equator so we experience high UV levels. time of year: our elliptical orbit around the sun and our axial tilt combine to ensure that we are closer to the sun in our summer than the northern hemisphere e.g. in summer the UK has UV Index 6–8, while Australia has UV Index 10–14.
As our senses cannot detect UV, overexposure may be damaging our skin and eyes without our knowledge. Australia experiences some of the highest levels of UV radiation in the world because we are close to the equator and have many clear, blue-sky days.
Australia gets more ultraviolet light from sunlight than many other places do. Melanin in cells absorbs ultraviolet light and prevents it from being absorbed by other parts of the cell which can be damaged.
Australia has some of the highest levels of UV radiation in the world – in fact, UV radiation is strong enough to cause sunburn in as little as 11 minutes on a fine summer day. UV radiation from the sun is also one of the best natural sources for vitamin D so a balance is important.
UV problem of another kind
"Tasmania is unique with the fact that in summer it gets to extreme level, and in winter it doesn't even get to moderate," Mr Carr said.
The hole still exists but scientists project the ozone layer to return to a condition not seen since before 1980 by about 2050.
The stratospheric ozone layer absorbs the biologically damaging wavelengths of ultraviolet (UV) rays but in the 1970s, Australia's ozone layer was severely thinned as a consequence of heavy use of ozone-depleting, substances such as chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) and hydro-chloroflurocarbons (HCFCs).
No one is immune to sunburn. Understanding your risk and taking the appropriate preventive strategies from sunburn can help prevent future skin problems.
Figure 2 uses a modified colour scale and shows that the highest values of UVI occur in the Peruvian Andes and throughout the Altiplano region. The maximum UVI of 25 is for the grid cell at 13.5° S, 172° W, centred on Cuzco in Peru.
To ease the pain, take a cool or lukewarm bath or shower. Use paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce pain and swelling. Drink plenty of water. Leave any blisters alone, do not break them open or pop them.
Duration of the sunset
The farther a country is from the equator, the more oblique the sun's path is to the horizon, causing sunset to last for a different duration. Canberra lies on the 35th degree of southern latitude and is therefore quite far away from the equator.
The lowest values occur in June-July where the UV Index averages less than 2 over Tasmania, increasing to almost 8-9 in far northern Australia.
New Zealand's rather cool and temperate temperatures can easily hide the harmful effects of the sun. Yet in any season and any weather, the New Zealand sun can burn. Many people say they get more sunburned in New Zealand than anywhere else in the world, even Australia!
United Nations' scientific assessment finds ozone layer is healing, 35 years after world stopped producing 'chomping' chemicals. Earth's protective ozone layer is slowly but noticeably healing at a pace that would fully mend the hole over Antarctica in about 43 years, a new United Nations report says.
Over Antarctica, the depleted ozone layer is roughly equivalent to the thickness of a dime.
Firstly, the ozone layer in the mid-latitude (e.g. over Australia) is thinned, leading to more UV radiation reaching the earth.
Perth, Western Australia
In fact, it's officially the sunniest capital city in the world, with an average of eight hours of sun per day, year-round.
In most parts of Australia, the UV Index reaches 11 or more in summer. Daily UV levels peak around midday (solar noon) and on clear days, are forecast to be extreme across Australia in summer.
On December 29, 2003, a world-record ground-level UV index of 43.3 was detected at Bolivia's Licancabur volcano, though other scientists dispute readings higher than 26.
Basically, through migration, our two countries have been populated by many people with fair skin whose ancestors come from much less sunny climates. Lack of protective pigmentation leaves skin cells especially vulnerable to the DNA-damaging rays from the sun.
Dr Ahmad Hasanien, a skin cancer expert explained that 'During summer, the Earth's orbit brings Australia closer to the sun, resulting in an additional 7% solar UV intensity. Coupled with our clearer atmospheric conditions, this means that Australians are exposed to up to 15% more UV than Europeans'.
Australia's climate is governed mostly by its size and by the hot, sinking air of the subtropical high pressure belt (subtropical ridge or Australian High). This moves north-west and north-east with the seasons.