The hole in the ozone layer is “larger than normal” this year and growing rapidly. It is the second year in a row that the hole in the protective layer around the earth has become very pronounced.
The ozone layer in the stratosphere acts as a sun shield for the earth. Every year a hole forms in the layer, but this year that hole is remarkably large and growing rapidly. Researchers at the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service say it’s been greater than three-quarters of the time since 1979.
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-“This year, as expected, the gap formed at the start of the season,” said Vincent-Henri Peuch, director of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service. “That’s similar to last year’s gap, which turned out to be normal at first but later in the season turned into one of the largest and longest-lasting gaps in our measurements.”
Harmful gases
‘This year too, the gap has evolved to be larger than normal. The vortex is quite stable and the temperature is even lower than last year, so it will continue to grow for the next two to three weeks.’
The hole in the ozone layer is caused by CFCs, gases that were widely used in cooling systems and aerosols, but are now being phased out.
The gap usually becomes largest around early October. After that, temperatures in the southern hemisphere rise and the processes that deplete ozone decrease. The layer should have recovered by the end of December.
