A ozone holeOpens up to the tropics seven times larger than above Antarctica According to a Canadian researcher, it began to form in the 1980s. The discovery, which has shocked the scientific community, adds a new element of uncertainty to the future of climate.
In an article just published in the journal AIP DevelopmentsQing-Bin Lu, a scientist at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, reveals the existence of a large ozone hole in the tropics (30ºN-30ºS) that remains active year-round. The concept of ‘hole’ is defined as an area with more than 25% ozone loss compared to the pristine atmosphere.
It is found in the lower stratosphere over the tropics and Its depth is comparable to that of the famous Antarctic arc hole, but its area is about seven times greater.
“The tropics make up half of the planet’s surface and are home to about half the world’s population,” Lu said. Therefore, “the existence of a tropical ozone hole could be a matter of great global concern”, as it could affect 50% of the earth’s surface and the population living there.
“The depletion of the ozone layer May cause increased ground-level ultraviolet radiation, which can increase the risk of skin cancer and cataracts in humans“As well as weakening the human immune system, it reduces agricultural productivity and negatively impacts sensitive aquatic organisms and ecosystems.”
Surprise in the scientific community
The discovery of this ozone hole surprised the rest of the scientific community because not predicted by conventional photochemical models. The observed data are in good agreement with the cosmic ray-guided reaction (CRE) model of electrons, showing that the same principle works to create both Antarctic and tropical ozone holes.
As with the ozone hole in Antarctica, the discovery of this new phenomenon In the center of the newly discovered hole, it indicates that about 80% of the normal value of ozone has been depleted.
Preliminary reports indicate that ozone depletion levels in equatorial regions endanger large populations and that the ultraviolet radiation reaching these regions is much higher than expected.
In the mid-1970s, atmospheric studies revealed that the ozone layer, which absorbs most of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, can be depleted by industrial chemicals used in certain sprays and cooling devices, primarily chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
Actually, The discovery of the ozone hole in Antarctica in 1985 confirmed the depletion of ozone caused by CFCs.. Although banning such chemicals may help slow ozone depletion, evidence shows that ozone depletion still occurs.
Tropical and polar ozone holes play an important role in cooling and regulating stratospheric temperatures, equivalent to the formation of three “temperature holes” in the global stratosphere, Lu said. Aforementioned this finding could be crucial for a better understanding of global climate change.
Lu’s discovery builds on earlier work on the ozone depletion mechanism that he and his colleagues proposed nearly two decades ago.
“The current discovery calls for more careful studies of ozone depletion, UV radiation drift, increased cancer risks, and other adverse effects on health and ecosystems in the tropics,” Lu said. said.
Reference research: https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/5.0094629
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Source: Informacion
