What caused the 2011 Arctic ozone loss?
The new study shows that, while chlorine in the Arctic stratosphere was the ultimate culprit of the severe ozone loss of winter of 2011, unusually cold and persistent temperatures also spurred ozone destruction.
What is going on with the ozone hole in Antarctica?
Today, the ozone hole still exists, forming every year over Antarctica in the spring. It closes up again over the summer as stratospheric air from lower latitudes is mixed in, patching it up until the following spring when the cycle begins again.
What caused the 2020 ozone hole?
It was driven by a strong, stable and cold polar vortex and very cold temperatures in the stratosphere (the layer of the atmosphere between around 10 km and round 50 km altitude). The same meteorological factors also contributed to the record 2020 Arctic ozone hole.
What are the negative side effects of a depleting ozone layer?
Ozone layer depletion causes increased UV radiation levels at the Earth’s surface, which is damaging to human health. Negative effects include increases in certain types of skin cancers, eye cataracts and immune deficiency disorders.
Why doesn’t the Arctic have an ozone hole?
Low Ozone Levels Measured at the North Pole Winter temperatures in the Arctic tend to be warmer than the winter temperatures in Antarctica. This gives cold air and the chemicals in the atmosphere less time to cause ozone depletion.
Can ozone layer be restored?
Around 99 per cent of ozone-depleting substances have been phased out and the protective layer above Earth is being replenished. The Antarctic ozone hole is expected to close by the 2060s, while other regions will return to pre-1980s values even earlier.
Which gas is responsible for ozone hole?
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
In the 1970s, scientists noticed that the ozone layer was thinning. Researchers found evidence that linked the depletion of the ozone layer to the presence of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other halogen-source gases in the stratosphere.
How can you help the ozone layer recover?
Buy air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment that do not use HCFCs as refrigerant. Buy aerosol products that do not use HCFCs or CFCs as propellants. Conduct regular inspection and maintenance of air-conditioning and refrigeration appliances to prevent and minimize refrigerant leakage.
What are 3 causes of depletion to the ozone layer?
The main cause of ozone depletion and the ozone hole is manufactured chemicals, especially manufactured halocarbon refrigerants, solvents, propellants, and foam- blowing agents (chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), HCFCs, halons).