Ozone Layer Depletion -Threat To The Earth's Protective Shield Still Persists!

The Ozone Layer  protects us from Ultraviolet rays from sun .The new villain to the ozone layer is the climate change according to the latest study reports.It is not enough just to prevent the usage of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) to prevent the threat to the ozone layer. New studies warn that the earth is becoming hotter and hotter as a result of global warming which in turn leads to changes in the level of atmospheric gases & diminishing of the ozone layer. As a result, the amount of Ultraviolet rays reaching the southern hemisphere will increase by 20% according to the findings of Canadian scientists .These could make a larger hole in the ozone layer which could be cause natural disasters like ...

• Fires
• Tornadoes
• Massive Lightning Storms
• Intense UV Rays
• Avalanches
• Tsunamis .......

At the same time, according to some studies a most dangerous chemical to ozone layer is still spreading in the atmosphere continuously. The most dangerous chemical in the stratosphere that affects the ozone layer is Nitrous Oxide commonly known as ‘Laughing gas ’. If things go on like this at present rate, then Nitrous oxide will be the most dangerous chemical that will greatly affect the ozone layer, according to the studies conducted by AR Ravi Shankar & team of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA). The greenhouse gasses are also harm to the ozone .

What is Ozone Layer ?

10 to 50 km above the earth’s surface, the region in the stratosphere where there is higher concentration of ozone is known as the Ozone Layer.

What Is Ozone Layer Doing : Benefits Of Ozone Layer

ozone layer absorbs the harmful UV rays with out ozone layer our earth would not be able to sustain life .Ozone layer prevents 95% of these dangerous rays from reaching the earth’s surface & thereby protects us. If the ultraviolet rays hit the surface of the earth directly it can be a cause for skin cancer to food scarcity .

What Causes The Ozone Layer Depletion ?

Scientists concluded that it is caused by substances emitted by human beings

• CFC -Refrigerators
• Air conditioners
• Aerosol sprays
• Industries

History of Ozone Layer Depletion ?

in 1985 a hole in the Antarctic ozone layer was detected ans actually this hole is still growing

What Will Be Side Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion

with out ozone the most of the harmful UV rays world penetrate to the atmosphere and cause serious problems like

• Cataracts
• Skin cancer
• Respiratory illness
• Damages to crops and global warming

It has been found out that level of Ozone has increased in the mountain regions of Europe & on the west shores of North America. Scientists believe that this is the proof for the diminishing of the ozone layer according to the new studies. It is believed that by the end of this century 23% more ozone (around 151 million tons) than what is present now will come down towards the earth’s surface.When more ozone will reach the lower layer of the atmosphere, the amount of ozone in the stratosphere where the ultraviolet rays are to be blocked will reduce.

According to a report published in ‘Nature Geo Science’ such rays that fall on the southern hemisphere will increase by 20 % due to this problem. This will lead to a large scale destruction of animal life & a cause for skin cancer. Ultraviolet rays only give rise to ozone in the top layer of the atmosphere. Oxygen molecules (O2) are split by the ultraviolet rays into oxygen atoms. Oxygen atoms are very unstable, they cannot sustain on their own. Therefore, each oxygen atom that splits combines with the oxygen molecule & becomes ozone (O3), an allotrope of oxygen.

Other Chemicals Which Harms The Ozone Layer

Chemicals like Nitrous oxide, Refrigerants & CFC’s using aerosols splits the ozone layer present in the upper layer of the atmosphere. As the amount of these chemicals increase the extent of ozone destruction also increases.

Save Ozone Layer !!! -How to Protect Our Ozone Layer ?

To overcome this danger discovered by the scientific world in 1980, the world nations formed the Montreal protocol in 1989.The main aim of the protocol was to stop the usage of chemicals like CFC’s which are dangerous to the Ozone layer. In this, the world somewhat succeeded.

But, according to the Montreal protocol there has been no ban on nitrous oxide. Therefore, the most dangerous chemical posing a threat to the ozone layer is still in use according to the studies published in the ‘Science’ magazine. The report points out that there should be action taken to limit the use of nitrous oxide to save the ozone layer in the atmosphere. Now Scientists around the world are searching for answers to these questions 

1. How to protect the ozone layer ?
2. How to repair the hole in ozone layer ?

What are you doing to stop ozone depletion? Our earth is getting sick we are the cause ...