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Solar UV Radiation, Biological Effects

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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

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Synonyms

Solar UV rays

Definition

Solar UV radiation is the ultraviolet (UV) component of the solar extraterrestrial electromagnetic radiation that amounts to about 7 % of the whole spectrum. Space experiments have shown that UVC (200–280 nm) is mainly responsible for the high lethality of extraterrestrial solar radiation to microorganisms exposed to it. Due to absorption by stratospheric ozone, only UV at wavelengths longer than 290 nm reaches the surface of the Earth. Several effects on human health and the integrity of ecosystems are caused by this UV range. In the Archean, before the buildup of the stratospheric ozone layer, UV at wavelengths shorter than 290 nm would have reached the Earth’s surface with the associated severe biological consequences.

Overview

The ultraviolet (UV) component of the extraterrestrial electromagnetic spectrumof our Sun can be divided into three spectral ranges: UVC (200–280 nm) contributing 0.5 %, UVB (280–320 nm) contributing 1.5 %, and UVA (320–400...

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References and Further Reading

  • Björn LO (ed) (2008) Photobiology – the science of life and light, 2nd edn. Springer, New York

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  • Cockell CS, Horneck G (2001) The history of the UV radiation climate of the Earth – theoretical and space-based observations. Photochem Photobiol 73:447–451

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  • Cockell CS, Catling DC, Davis WL, Snook K, Kepner RL, Lee P, McKay CP (2000) The ultraviolet environment of Mars: biological implications past, present, and future. Icarus 146:343–359

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  • Diffey BL (1991) Solar ultraviolet radiation effects on biological systems. Phys Med Biol 36:299–328

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  • Häder DP (ed) (1997) The effects of ozone depletion on aquatic ecosystems. Academic, San Diego

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  • Horneck G, Baumstark-Khan C (eds) (2002) Astrobiology, the quest for the conditions of life. Springer, Berlin

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  • Horneck G, Klaus DM, Mancinelli RL (2010) Space microbiology. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 74:121–156

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  • Nicholson WL, Munakata N, Horneck G, Melosh HJ, Setlow P (2000) Resistance of Bacillus endospores to extreme terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 64:548–572

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  • Patel MR, Bérces A, Kerékgyárto T, Gy R, Lammer H, Zarnecki JC (2004) Annual solar UV exposure and biological effective dose rates on the Martian surface. Adv Space Res 33:1247–1252

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. DLR German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology, Building 24, Contractor, 51170, Köln, Germany

    Gerda Horneck

Authors
  1. Gerda Horneck
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gerda Horneck .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Horneck, G. (2014). Solar UV Radiation, Biological Effects. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1465-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1465-3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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