July, 2012 - Susan Solomon - Tahiti Typhoon

Susan Solomon

Susan Solomon (born 1956 in Chicago) is an atmospheric chemist working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Solomon was one of the first to propose chlorofluorocarbons as the cause of the Antarctic ozone hole. Solomon began her interest in science as a child watching The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau. In high school she placed third in a national science fair, with a project that measured the percent of oxygen in a gas mixture.  Solomon received a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Illinois Institute of Technology in 1977. She received her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 1981, where she specialized in atmospheric chemistry. 

Deciphering the cause of the Antarctic ozone hole came from Solomon’s theoretical work and first-hand scientific observations. Her theoretical work showed that reactions of man-made chlorine compounds occurring on the surface of polar stratospheric clouds could play a defining role in forming the Antarctic ozone hole. This has since been firmly established as the key to Antarctic ozone depletion.  Besides her seminal theoretical studies, her key measurements helped develop the scientific understanding needed to confirm the theory of ozone depletion. In particular, in 1986 and 1987 she led expeditions to Antarctica and personally carried out the first observations of chlorine dioxide, which showed that its abundance there is about 100 times greater than predicted. This was the first direct evidence that pointed to chlorine chemistry as the cause of the Antarctic ozone .  Solomon also showed that volcanoes could accelerate the reactions caused by chlorofluorocarbons, and so increase the damage to the ozone layer. Her work formed the basis of the U.N. Montreal Protocol, an international agreement to protect the ozone layer by regulating damaging chemicals

The Drink

Tahiti Typhoon:

3/4 oz lime juice
1 oz contreau
1 oz gin

fill with champagne

Drinkability:  3.5
Drunkability: 3
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility:  4
Priority for Conservation: 2 

Comments:  BoilerMaker is elected new president!

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