Now you see it, now you don't: The ozone hole
- National Science Foundation, Washington, DC (United States)
Fragile, rainbow-colored clouds high in the antarctic sky are a beautiful but onerous reminder that all is not well in the universe. To the trained scientist, the clouds foretell the destruction of Antarctic ozone - a gas that protects the Earth from the sun's destructive ultraviolet rays. The author describes the scene while telling of the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde role that ozone plays in the environment. In the lower atmosphere, ozone is a nasty pollutant. In the upper atmosphere, it shields the Earth's surface from unwanted ultraviolet radiation. A bombshell was dropped in 1985 by the discovery of a large hole in the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere over the entire expanse of Antarctica. The hole later confirmed in other studies, has been appearing each spring and disappearing each summer since 1975. The mass of scientific evidence leaves no doubt that chlorine from chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) is responsible for destroying the ozone. He predicts the hole will remain for 50 to 100 years, even if the world were to stop releasing CFCs now, although the size of the hole will wax and wane. Increased ultraviolet radiation resulting from the ozone depletion will cause an increase in skin cancer, cataracts, and infection due to weakened immune systems.
- OSTI ID:
- 7222435
- Journal Information:
- Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy; (United States), Journal Name: Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy; (United States) Vol. 5:2; ISSN 0887-8218; ISSN FARPE
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
The regulatory phase-out of CFCs and halons
Antarctic ozone hole hits record depth
Related Subjects
290301 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety-- Regional & Global Environmental Aspects-- (1992-)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560400 -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CHEMISTRY
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FLUIDS
FREONS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
LAYERS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
OZONE LAYER
RADIATIONS
REFRIGERANTS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
WORKING FLUIDS