OZONE LAYER
The ozone layer is a layer of the stratosphere, which is the second layer of Earth's atmosphere. It's composed of gases that protect us from the harmful effects of climate change. The ozone layer elevates as it absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.
It does its important job by protecting us from dangerous levels of radiation. The ozone layer is known to absorb radiation coming from the Sun. Although it's good at shielding humans from harmful UV radiation, it can also damage living organisms.
UVA and UVB are the main types of ultraviolet light UVB are the ones that can cause skin conditions like sunburns, cancer and squamous cell carcinoma Although UVA can't cause burns, they can still cause cancer but people believe it's harmless Unfortunately, UVA light is more harmful than UVB.
According to scientists, it can penetrate deeper and cause more serious skin damage. The ozone layer is getting thinner.
CFCs are toxic chemicals that are mainly used as coolants in plastic and refrigerant products Since they can't catch fire easily, they're cheaper than other chemicals and don't poison living things.
CFC are made up of carbon, fluorine and chlorine that's why it's called chlorofluorocarbons CFCs are usually destroyed by blowing into the stratosphere after they're released.
This prevents the ozone(made of three joint oxygen) from being reformed properly and on it's own
Instead of being labeled as a hole, the ozone layer damage is actually a thin patch. During the 1970s, people began noticing the thinning of the ozone layer. Many governments and businesses then agreed to stop using certain chemicals, which lowered the ozone layer. It eventually recovered.
HISTORY OF OZONE LAYER
Physicists Henri Buisson and Charles Fabry first observed the ozone layer in 1913. They found that its radiation, which came from the sun's surface, was generally consistent with that of a black body.
They figured that the missing radiation was absorbed by the atmosphere. GB Dobson, a meteorologist, then discovered the properties of ozone.
From 1928 to 1958, scientist James Dobson established a network of monitoring stations for the ozone layer. The ozone prevents dangerous levels of ultraviolet light, which can damage organisms living near the surface, from entering Earth.
In 1976, atmospheric studies revealed the depletion of the ozone layer due to the release of chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons. Since these materials are known to cause ultraviolet radiation, they were banned in 2005.
The 2007 ozone hole is over, but the temperatures in the stratosphere are still high enough to make it hard for any clouds to form. In total, the ozone has dropped to 220 degrees. In July, the stratosphere reached a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite this, the hPa level was still considered normal. In August, it became the largest ozone layer in the history of the planet.
The ozone hole started to shrink after September due to the increased circular shape of the vortex. It then warmed up again during the winter period before dying down in December. The record-breaking day was created by the ozone hole's formation.
The ozone hole reached its peak on September 13, 2007. The size of the hole reached almost 10 million square miles, making it slightly bigger than the North America's average. In 2006, the ozone hole destroyed about 45 percent of its population.
The high halogen levels and the polar vortex remained the main factors that contributed to the record-breaking event. Other factors such as the temperature difference between the high and low latitudes caused the ozone hole to increase in 2005.
The area affected by the ozone hole in 2005 measured almost 9.7 million square miles. This made it slightly bigger than North America's average size.
The strongest effects of the ozone hole were felt at heights of over 15 kilometers. During the 2004 fall season, warm stratospheric conditions caused the ozone hole to shrink.
Due to the weather conditions during that year, the ozone hole was only around for a couple of months. In 2003, its levels dropped again due to the continued depletion of the ozone.
The ozone hole reached its largest size in the past years due to the warm weather in the Antarctic. Despite the ozone hole's destruction, the chemicals in its atmosphere are still expected to contribute to the ozone's reduction.
The ozone hole's destruction was still significant compared to the 1980s. In 2007, it only lasted for a short life due to the ozone hole's reduction.
The other harmful substances in the atmosphere, such as chlorofluorocarbons, also decreased dramatically. In 2001, the ozone layer over Antarctica decreased by about 50 percent compared to the previous year. It was also the third straight year that the ozone layer dropped at least 50 percent.
Due to the implementation of the Montreal Protocol in 1988, CFCs are expected to gradually decrease in the atmosphere until the end of the century. As a result, the ozone hole is expected to gradually recover.
IMPORTANCE OF THE OZONE LAYER
The ozone layer is a region of Earth's atmosphere that shields the Sun's ultraviolet radiation. It's known to absorb around 99% of the Sun's light. It could also damage the life forms living near the surface.
The depletion of the ozone layer can cause skin diseases. Industrialization and the use of man-made chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons and brominefluorocarbons are known to deplete the layer. Technology has changed the way we live, but it has also brought us away from the place where nature truly belongs.
SOME FACTS ABOUT OZONE
Good Ozone is produced by the reaction of atmospheric gases in the stratosphere protecting humas from ultraviolet rays, which are harmful to humans.
Bad Ozone is created near the earth surface a layer called the troposphere.It is known to cause respiratory distress and damage vegetation. The ozone shield prevents the harmful radiation from reaching the atmosphere.
Scientists can measure the ozone using various instruments such as satellites and high-flying aircraft. The atmospheric ozone layer measured at 300 Dobsons is about 20 kilometers high. It contains about 300 millimeters of gas.
Despite its effects on the environment, refrigerants and other chemicals commonly used in the manufacturing process have negative effects on the ozone layer. Some of these harmful substances include chlorine and bromine.
REFERENCES
https://api.nationalgeographic.com/distribution/public/amp/environment/article/ozone-depletion
https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/atmosphere/ozone-layer
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/ozone-layer/
https://www.epa.gov/ozone-layer-protection/basic-ozone-layer-science