The ozone hole, much talked about in the 1980s and 1990s, has become a symbol of environmental danger. It was first discovered in 1985, when British scientists noticed that the ozone layer over Antarctica, the invisible shield that protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation, was rapidly depleting. The discovery caused panic and led to urgent international action, such as the Montreal Protocol, which restricted the use of destructive chemicals. How do you think the ozone hole has changed since then? Is it really starting to disappear, as we were promised?
Nobody mentions the ozone hole today because it is not such a serious problem today. Image source: drive2.ru
Contents
- 1 What is the ozone layer
- 2 What caused the ozone hole
- 3 What is the size of the ozone hole
- 4 What is the Montreal Protocol
- 5 What does the ozone hole look like in 2024
What is the ozone layer
Ozone layer— is a unique protective screen of the Earth, located at an altitude of 15 to 30 kilometers above the surface of the planet. It is a gas shell that contains a high concentration of ozone, a substance that absorbs harmful ultraviolet rays from the Sun. Without this layer, life on Earth would be in constant danger, because ultraviolet radiation can destroy cells and cause diseases such as skin cancer.
The location of the Earth's ozone layer in relation to the troposphere and stratosphere. Source: dzen.ru
What caused the ozone hole
Unfortunately, in the second half of the 20th century, scientists began to notice that the Earth's ozone layer was beginning to thin. The main cause of this phenomenon was chemicals, the most dangerous of which scientists considered to be chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were actively used in aerosol cans, refrigerants, and solvents. Getting into the stratosphere, these substances destroyed ozone molecules, which led to the formation of a huge “hole” in the ozone layer over Antarctica.
Map of the ozone hole over the South Pole as of September 15, 2021. Image source: newscientist.com
What is the size of the ozone hole
Size of the ozone holeover Antarctica is constantly changing, reaching a maximum area of 25 million square kilometers. This is almost twice the area of all of Siberia. Such a huge scale makes it one of the most frightening natural anomalies.
The size of the ozone hole is clearly visible in the picture. Image source: NASA's Earth Observatory
What is the Montreal Protocol
After the ozone layer was discovered, many countries expressed concern and began actively seeking solutions to the problem.
In 1987, the Montreal Protocol was signed, which became a key step in the fight to preserve the ozone layer. This international treaty banned the production and use of chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were destroying the ozone layer. It is worth noting that to this day, the Montreal Protocol remains the only UN agreement accepted by all 197 countries in the world.
The Montreal Protocol is helping to restore the Earth's ozone layer. Photo source: nytimes.com
The protocol has become a model of international cooperation, proving that when countries come together for the common good, real change is possible. Thanks to these efforts, scientists have long predicted that the ozone layer will be fully restored by the middle of this century, provided that all parties comply with their commitments.
It seems that the efforts were not in vain.
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What the ozone hole looks like in 2024
According to IFL Science, in 2024, the ozone hole over Antarctica began to show signs of recovery. As the World Meteorological Organization noted, the hole appears every year in August and reaches its maximum in October, but it gets smaller every year.
In 2024, the ozone hole appeared slightly later than usual due to a sharp warming in the upper atmosphere that occurred in July. This warming disrupted the normal movement of cold air around Antarctica, known as the polar vortex. The resulting disruptions affected the size of the ozone hole, which was smaller than in previous years.
The size of the ozone hole on September 10, 2024. Image source: CAMS/ECMWF
Experts from the Copernicus atmospheric monitoring service stressed that despite the impact of various factors such as volcanic eruptions and climate change, the main cause of ozone layer destruction remains chemicals sprayed by humans. However, thanks to the Montreal Protocol, the ozone layer has had a chance to start recovering, and its full recovery over Antarctica is expected by 2066.
While current data on the ozone hole is positive, scientists are also noting worrying climate changes, such as abnormally high temperatures in Antarctica. However, the overall picture is that the ozone layer is well on its way to recovery, and it is only a matter of time before it returns to 1980 levels.
Antarctica is experiencing noticeable warming. Image source: kzyx.org
Without the Montreal Protocol, the world could have changed significantly. NASA scientists once concluded that if no action had been taken, the ozone hole would have covered the entire planet by 2040. This would have created a serious threat to the health and ecosystems of the Earth, since even residents of temperate latitudes would risk getting sunburned after just 10 minutes of being outdoors.
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However, thanks to international efforts and the ban on the use of dangerous chemicals, this scenario was prevented. The ozone layer was given a chance to recover.