Large ozone hole detected over Antarctica
13 Oct 2023 8 mins Download PDF
Large ozone hole detected over Antarctica
Why in the News?
Recent satellite measurements by European Space Agency Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite as part of the EU’s environmental monitoring program over Antarctica have detected a giant hole in the ozone layer.
- The hole i.e., the “ozone-depleted area” was 26 million square kilometers (10 million square miles) in size, roughly three times the size of Brazil.
- The satellite measured trace gases in the atmosphere in order to monitor the ozone and climate.
- The hole in the ozone is not likely to increase warming on the surface of Antarctica and hence, not a concern for climate change.
Ozone holes grow and shrink every year:
- The ozone layer is a trace gas in the stratosphere, one of the four layers of the Earth’s atmosphere.
- It functions as a protective gas shield that absorbs ultraviolet radiation, protecting humans and ecosystems from dangerous amounts of UV.
- Most skin cancers are caused by exposure to high amounts of UV radiation, so the ozone prevents UV rays and helps reduce cancer rates.
- The size of the ozone hole over Antarctica fluctuates each year, opening each year in August and closing again in November or December.
- Ozone hole opens up because of the rotation of the Earth causing specials winds over the closed landmass of Antarctica.
- The winds create a mini climate, creating a shield over Antarctica preventing it from mixing with surrounding air and when the winds die down, the hole closes.
- It an ozone depletion takes longer time to repair, it may be due to a longer, more drawn-out polar vortex, which can lead to a wintertime lasting that little bit longer.
What caused the giant ozone hole this year?
- This year’s big ozone hole is believed to be due to the volcanic eruptions at Hunga Tongain Tonga during December 2022 and January 2023.
- Under normal conditions, gas released from a volcanic eruption stays below the level of the stratosphere, but this eruption sent a lot of water vapor into the stratosphere.
- The water had an impact on the ozone layer through chemical reactions and changed its heating rate.
- The water vapor also contained other elements that can deplete ozone like bromine and iodine.
- There is less evidence that ozone hole is due to humans.
Human-caused ozone holes:
- Though this year’s Antarctic ozone hole was likely due to a volcanic eruption, human activities were creating huge ozone holes in the 1970s.
- Ground and satellite-based measurements detected the holes, which were caused by widespread use of chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons and propellants used as gases to propel the solutions inside that contains chlorine.
- They get released high in the stratosphere and depletes the ozone.
- The Montreal Protocol was created in 1987 to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of these harmful substances.
- The protocol was effective as ozone holes got smaller in the decades after ozone-depleting gas emissions were controlled.
Is climate change reopening ozone holes?
- Ozone depletion is not a principal cause of global climate change.
- However, there are signs that rising global temperatures could be having an impact on ozone holes.
- The main reason for the large ozone hole in 2020 was due to the wildfires in southeastern Australia that year.
- There is evidence that ozone holes change the progression of the seasons.
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