Antarctic total ozone in 1958.

The Antarctic ozone hole results from catalytic destruction of ozone by chlorine radicals. The hole develops in August, reaches its full depth in early October, and is gone by early December of each year. Extremely low total ozone measurements were made at the Antarctic Dumont d'Urville station in 1958. These measurements were derived from spectrographic plates of the blue sky, the moon, and two stars. These Dumont plate data are inconsistent with 1958 Dobson spectrophotometer ozone measurements, inconsistent with present-day Antarctic observations, and inconsistent with meteorological and theoretical information. There is no credible evidence for an ozone hole in 1958.