Date: January 8th, 2018 Source of information: world daily
Deutsche Welle reported on 6, the U.S. Space Agency (NASA) scientists share evidence that
chemicals that destroyed the ozone layer were decreasing in the atmosphere. For the first time,
there is complete scientific evidence that the global ban on CFCs works!
NASA observed directly from satellites and found that the global ban on fluorocarbons
gradually reduced the hole in the ozone layer.The new study appears in the Geophysical
Research Newsletter. Scientists say the rate of ozone depletion has fallen by about 20 percent
since 2005.
Chlorofluorocarbons are high stability chlorides. The ozone layer in the upper half of the
stratosphere absorbs the sun's ultraviolet rays, but when the fluorocarbon rises to the
stratosphere, it releases chlorine atoms and destroy ozone molecules. The ozone layer absorbs
ultraviolet rays and protects the earth's flora and fauna. Ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer,
cataracts, and damage to the immune system.
Susan Strahane, NASA Atmospheric Scientist at the Gundar Space Flight Center, lead author of
this study, said, "We can clearly see that the chlorine molecules of fluorocarbons in the ozone
hole are decreasing. As a result, less ozone is consumed."
Researchers have continuously measured the global atmosphere since mid 2004. The study
points out that the ozone hole in Antarctica is slowly healing, because the man-made chemicals
that cause holes can last for a long time.
Previous studies relied only on changes in the size of the ozone hole to determine that ozone
was recovering. But this study was the first to measure the chemical composition of the ozone
hole, which proved to reduce the use of chlorofluorocarbons and to slow down the ozone
depletion.
Anne Douglass, a co - researcher, said that fluorocarbons can stay for 50 to 100 years. As a
result, the Antarctic ozone hole will not recover until 2060-2080, but there will still be a
small hole remaining.