Record Size Hole in Ozone Layer Appears Seasonally over Antarctica
The annual hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica has grown to a record size this September, according to scientists from the European Space Agency. However, experts are reassuring that this occurrence is not as alarming as it may sound.
The ozone layer, which is not actually a hole but a thinning of the atmosphere, appears seasonally during the polar spring in Antarctica, coinciding with the fall in the Northern Hemisphere. It varies in size due to temperature and other atmospheric conditions.
“The stratosphere in the springtime over Antarctica is the coldest region of the stratosphere. It’s been isolated from the sun for the whole winter,” explained Stephen Montzka, the lead scientist for NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory.
Extreme weather and other conditions specific to Antarctica allow for the formation of unique polar stratospheric clouds high up in the atmosphere. These clouds interact with ozone-depleting chemicals, which are activated by ultraviolet light when the sun finally emerges after months of darkness.
Despite the current record size, Montzka stated that it is too early to determine the overall size of the hole this year. Typically, the hole reaches its peak in September and October and then begins to subside.
Earlier this year, there were predictions that the eruption of the Hunga Tonga volcano in the western Pacific Ocean in January could result in a larger-than-usual ozone hole.
Historically, the ozone hole first caught scientists’ attention in the 1970s and 1980s. It was linked to pollution from chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) used in air conditioning, refrigerants, and other applications. Although the Montreal Protocol was signed in 1987 and banned CFCs, these harmful compounds still persist in the atmosphere.
Monitoring the ozone layer is crucial to ensure countries adhere to the Montreal Protocol, which is considered the most successful agreement of its kind. The ozone layer plays a vital role in filtering out high-energy ultraviolet light from the sun, without which life on Earth would not exist as we know it today.
Experts reassure that year over year, the ozone layer remains on track for full recovery within the next few decades.
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