1) Related to the Antarctic ozone depletion, south polar austral spring denotes the season of spring in the southern hemisphere when the greatest amount of ozone is lost, generally beginning in September. Astral relates to the hemisphere that the observer is currently in and the season that relates to the observer, while austral refers to the south.
Category/Context: Geography, Earth Science, Meteorology
Related Terms: Austral Summer, Austral Autumn, Austral Winter, Equinox, Solstice
Examples/Applications: Austral spring is the season when flora in the Southern Hemisphere starts to bloom, with days becoming longer and temperatures rising. It is also the time when certain weather phenomena like the Antarctic ozone hole are most pronounced.
Level of Student: This definition is suitable for high school students and anyone studying geography or earth science.
Etymology/History: The term "austral" comes from the Latin word "australis" meaning "southern". It is used to refer to phenomena occurring in or associated with the Southern Hemisphere.
References:
- Austral seasons | meteorology. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/austral-seasons
- Seasons: Meteorological and Astronomical. (n.d.). Timeanddate.com. https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/aboutseasons.html