The Earth's ozone layer protects all life from the sun's harmful radiation, but human activities

have damaged this shield. Less protection from ultraviolet light will, over time, lead to higher skin cancer and cataract rates and crop damage. The U. ., in cooperation with !"# other countries, is phasing out the production of ozone$depleting substances in an effort to safeguard the ozone layer.

I. The Ozone Layer

The Earth's atmosphere is divided into several layers. The lowest region, the troposphere, e%tends from the Earth's surface up to about !# kilometers &km' in altitude. (irtually all human activities occur in the troposphere. )t. Everest, the tallest mountain on the planet, is only about " km high. The ne%t layer, the stratosphere, continues from !# km to about *# km. )ost commercial airline traffic occurs in the lower part of the stratosphere.

ource+ ,orld )eteorological -rganization,

cientific .ssessment of -zone /epletion+ !""0, ,)- 1lobal -zone 2esearch

and )onitoring 3ro4ect $ 2eport 5o. 66, 1eneva, !""0.

.s shown in the graph, most atmospheric ozone is concentrated in a layer in the stratosphere, about !*$7# kilometers above the Earth's surface. -zone is a molecule containing three o%ygen atoms. 8t is blue in color and has a strong odor. 5ormal o%ygen, which we breathe, has two o%ygen atoms and is colorless and odorless. -zone is much less common than normal o%ygen. -ut of each !# million air molecules, about 9 million are normal o%ygen, but only 7 are ozone. :owever, even the small amount of ozone plays a key role in the atmosphere. The ozone layer absorbs a portion of the radiation from the sun, preventing it from reaching the planet's surface. )ost importantly, it absorbs the portion of ultraviolet light called U(;. U(; has been linked to many harmful effects, including various types of skin cancer, cataracts, and harm to some crops, certain materials, and some forms of marine life.

.t any given time, ozone molecules are constantly formed and destroyed in the stratosphere. The total amount, however, remains relatively stable. The concentration of the ozone layer can be thought of as a stream's depth at a particular location. .lthough water is constantly flowing in and out, the depth remains constant. ,hile ozone concentrations vary naturally with sunspots, the seasons, and latitude, these processes are well understood and predictable. cientists have established records spanning several decades that detail normal ozone levels during these natural cycles. Each natural reduction in ozone levels has been followed by a recovery. 2ecently, however, convincing scientific evidence has shown that the ozone shield is being depleted well beyond changes due to natural processes.

II. Ozone Depletion

<or over *# years, chlorofluorocarbons &=<=s' were thought of as miracle substances. They are stable, nonflammable, low in to%icity, and ine%pensive to produce. -ver time, =<=s found uses as refrigerants, solvents, foam blowing agents, and in other smaller applications. -ther chlorine$ containing compounds include methyl chloroform, a solvent, and carbon tetrachloride, an industrial chemical. :alons, e%tremely effective fire e%tinguishing agents, and methyl bromide, an effective produce and soil fumigant, contain bromine. .ll of these compounds have atmospheric lifetimes long enough to allow them to be transported by winds into the stratosphere. ;ecause they release chlorine or bromine when they break down, they damage the protective ozone layer. The discussion of the ozone depletion process below focuses on =<=s, but the basic concepts apply to all of the ozone$ depleting substances &-/ '. 8n the early !">#s, researchers began to investigate the effects of various chemicals on the ozone layer, particularly =<=s, which contain chlorine. They also e%amined the potential impacts of other chlorine sources. =hlorine from swimming pools, industrial plants, sea salt, and volcanoes does not reach the stratosphere. =hlorine compounds from these sources readily combine with water and repeated measurements show that they rain out of the troposphere very ?uickly. 8n contrast, =<=s are very stable and do not dissolve in rain. Thus, there are no natural processes that remove the =<=s from the lower atmosphere. -ver time, winds drive the =<=s into the stratosphere. The =<=s are so stable that only e%posure to strong U( radiation breaks them down. ,hen that happens, the =<= molecule releases atomic chlorine. -ne chlorine atom can destroy over !##,### ozone molecules. The net effect is to destroy ozone faster than it is naturally created. To return to the analogy comparing ozone levels to a stream's depth, =<=s act as a siphon, removing water faster than normal and reducing the depth of the stream. Large fires and certain types of marine life produce one stable form of chlorine that does reach the stratosphere. :owever, numerous e%periments have shown that =<=s and other widely$used

chemicals produce roughly 06@ of the chlorine in the stratosphere, while natural sources contribute only !A@. Large volcanic eruptions can have an indirect effect on ozone levels. .lthough )t. 3inatubo's !""! eruption did not increase stratospheric chlorine concentrations, it did produce large amounts of tiny particles called aerosols &different from consumer products also known as aerosols'. These aerosols increase chlorine's effectiveness at destroying ozone. The aerosols only increased depletion because of the presence of =<= $ based chlorine. 8n effect, the aerosols increased the efficiency of the =<= siphon, lowering ozone levels even more than would have otherwise occurred. Unlike long$term ozone depletion, however, this effect is short$lived. The aerosols from )t. 3inatubo have disappeared, but satellite, ground$based, and balloon data still show ozone depletion occurring closer to the historic trend. -ne e%ample of ozone depletion is the annual ozone BholeB over .ntarcticathat has occurred during the .ntarctic pring since the early !"0#s. 2ather than being a literal hole through the layer, the ozone hole is a large area of the stratosphere with e%tremely low amounts of ozone. -zone levels fall by over A#@ during the worst years. 8n addition, research has shown that ozone depletion occurs over the latitudes that include 5orth .merica, Europe, .sia, and much of .frica, .ustralia, and problem at the outh 3ole. outh .merica. -ver the U. ., ozone levels have fallen *$!#@, depending on the season. Thus,ozone depletion is a global issue and not 4ust a

2eductions in ozone levels will lead to higher levels of U(; reaching the Earth's surface. The sun's output of U(; does not changeC rather, less ozone means less protection, and hence more U(; reaches the Earth. tudies have shown that in the .ntarctic, the amount of U(; measured at the surface can double during the annual ozone hole. .nother study confirmed the relationship between reduced ozone and increased U(; levels in =anada during the past several years. Laboratory and epidemiological studies demonstrate that U(; causes nonmelanoma skin cancer and plays a ma4or role in malignant melanoma development. 8n addition, U(; has been linked to cataracts. .ll sunlight contains some U(;, even with normal ozone levels. 8t is always important to limit e%posure to the sun. :owever, ozone depletion will increase the amount of U(;, which will then increase the risk of health effects. <urthermore, U(; harms some crops, plastics and other materials, and certain types of marine life.

III. The World's Reaction

The initial concern about the ozone layer in the !">#s led to a ban on the use of =<=s as aerosol propellants in several countries, including the U. . :owever, production of =<=s and other ozone$ depleting substances grew rapidly afterward as new uses were discovered. Through the !"0#s, other uses e%panded and the world's nations became increasingly concerned that these chemicals would further harm the ozone layer. 8n !"0*, the (ienna =onvention was adopted to formalize international cooperation on this issue. .dditional efforts resulted in the signing of the )ontreal 3rotocol in !"0>. The original protocol would have reduced the production of =<=s by half by !""0. .fter the original 3rotocol was signed, new measurements showed worse damage to the ozone layer than was originally e%pected. 8n !""9, reacting to the latest scientific assessment of the ozone layer, the 3arties to the 3rotocol decided to completely end production of halons by the beginning of !""6 and of =<=s by the beginning of !""A in developed countries.)ore information on the phaseout of ozone depleting substances is found here. ;ecause of measures taken under the )ontreal 3rotocol, emissions of ozone$depleting substances are already falling. Levels of total inorganic chlorine in the stratosphere peaked in !""> and !""0. The good news is that the natural ozone production process will heal the ozone layer in about *# years. )ore information on the current state of the ozone layer is found here.

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IV. Stratospheric Protection Division

8n addition to regulating the end of production of the ozone$depleting substances, the U. . Environmental 3rotection .gency &E3.' implements several other programs to protect the ozone layer under Title (8 of the =lean .ir .ct. These programs includerefrigerant recycling, product labeling, banning nonessential uses of certain compounds, and reviewing substitutes. )ore information on E3.'s efforts is found here.

Ozone Facts
What is Ozone? Ozone is a colorless gas. Chemically, ozone is very active; it reacts readily with a great many other substances. Near the Earths surface, those reactions cause rubber to crac , hurt !lant life, and damage !eo!les lung tissues. "ut ozone also absorbs harmful com!onents of sunlight, nown as #ultraviolet "$, or #%&'"$. (igh above the surface,

above even the weather systems, a tenuous layer of ozone gas absorbs %&'", !rotecting living things below. What is a Dobson Unit? )he *obson %nit +*%, is the unit of measure for total ozone. -f you were to ta e all the ozone in a column of air stretching from the surface of the earth to s!ace, and bring all that ozone to standard tem!erature +. /Celsius, and !ressure +0.01.23 millibars, or one atmos!here, or #atm$,, the column would be about ..1 centimeters thic . )hus, the total ozone would be ..1 atm'cm. )o ma e the units easier to wor with, the #*obson %nit$ is defined to be ....0 atm'cm. Our ..1 atm'cm would be 1.. *%. What is the Ozone Hole? Each year for the !ast few decades during the 4outhern (emis!here s!ring, chemical reactions involving chlorine and bromine cause ozone in the southern !olar region to be destroyed ra!idly and severely. )his de!leted region is nown as the #ozone hole$. )he area of the ozone hole is determined from a ma! of total column ozone. -t is calculated from the area on the Earth that is enclosed by a line with a constant value of 22. *obson %nits. )he value of 22. *obson %nits is chosen since total ozone values of less than 22. *obson %nits were not found in the historic observations over 5ntarctica !rior to 0676. 5lso, from direct measurements over 5ntarctica, a column ozone level of less than 22. *obson %nits is a result of the ozone loss from chlorine and bromine com!ounds.

Ozone *e!letion
THE PROBLEM (INTRO) The poisoning o the Ea!th"s ozone la#e! is in$!easingl# att!a$ting %o!l&%i&e $on$e!n o! the global en'i!on(ent an& the health e e$ts o li e on the Planet Ea!th) The!e is not *+st one pa!ti$+la! $a+se o! the ozone"s &epletion, the a$$+(+lation o &i e!ent poll+tants into o+! ozone la#e! has all a&&e& +p an& e-+alle& o+t to $!eate a %o!l&%i&e p!oble() The!e is not *+st one e e$t !o( the poisoning o the ozone. b+t instea& (+ltiple !a(i i$ations !o( &iseases to &eath) The &a(age to the ozone is in$!easing %ith e'e!# se$on&) The!e a!e (an# %a#s %e $an help !e&+$e the p!oble( an& p!ese!'e the ozone la#e!)WH/T I0 O1ONE Ozone is a pale bl+e gaseo+s o!( o o2#gen. in $he(i$al o!( it is also 3no%n as O4) Ozone $an be bene i$ial o! ha!( +l &epen&ing on its lo$ation in the Ea!th"s at(osphe!e) I the ozone is lo$ate& in the t!oposphe!e (%hi$h e2ten&s !o( the s+! a$e o the Ea!th +p to app!o2ia(etl#56 (iles) it is a ha!( +l poll+tant an& a (a*o! $o(ponent in s(og an& othe! en'i!on(ental health p!oble(s) T!oposphe!e ozone $an &a(age plasti$. !+bbe!. plant an& ani(al tiss+e) Ozone lo$ate& app!o2i(atel# 56789 (iles abo'e the Ea!th"s s+! a$e, in a pa!t o the Ea!th"s at(osphe!e $alle& the st!atosphe!e is 'e!# bene i$ial) The ozone is a (a*o! a$to! that (a3es li e possible on Ea!th) /bo+t :6; o the planet"s ozone is in the ozone la#e!) Ozone in this la#e! shiel&s an& ilte!s o+t the Ea!th !o( :97:: pe!$ent the s+n"s +lt!a'iolet !a&iation) / lo% le'el o ozone &oes not p!ote$t o! p!e'ent the s+n"s +lt!a'iolet !a#s !o( !ea$hing the s+! a$e o the Ea!th. the!e o!e. o'e!e2posing li e on Ea!th $a+sing (an# &iseases) RE/0ON< =>="0? The &epletion o the ozone is $a+se& b# (an# a$to!s. b+t the one $a+se that %ill be elabo!ate& on in the ne2t pa!ag!aph is the (ain !eason o+! ozone is $ontin+o+sl# being poll+te&) The (a*o! $a+se in the &epletion o the Ea!th"s ozone la#e! is &+e to the !elease o $hlo!o l+o!o$a!bons into the at(osphe!e) =hlo!o l+o!o$a!bons also

3no%n as =>=s a!e in&+st!iall# p!o&+$e& $he(i$al $o(po+n&s that $ontain the ele(ents $hlo!ine. l+o!ine. $a!bon. an& so(eti(es h#&!ogen that %ill b!ea3 &o%n the p!ote$ti'e ozone in the at(osphe!e) 0in$e =>=s a!e hea'ie! than ai!. the p!o$ess o =>=s !ea$hing the ozone %ill gene!all# ta3e !o( t%o to i'e #ea!s to get into the st!atosphe!e) When =>=s !ea$h the st!atosphe!e. the s+n"s +lt!a'iolet !a&iation $a+ses the( to b!ea3 apa!t) The!e o!e. the $hlo!ine ato(s insi&e the =>=s a!e !elease& an& %ill !ea$t %ith ozone. sta!ting the &est!+$tion $#$le o ozone) To sho% the e2tent o &est!+$tion $hlo!ine $an p!o&+$e. @one $hlo!ine ato( $an b!ea3 apa!t (o!e than 566.666 (ole$+les o ozone@ (%%%)at()$h))))) =hlo!o l+o!o$a!bons a!e not a nat+!all# p!o&+$e& $he(i$al. b+t sho$3ingl# a!e (an7(a&e p!o&+$ts) @=>= p!o&+$ts an& othe! ozone &epleting s+bstan$e a!e e'e!#%he!e an& $o(e in all o!(s s+$h as< ae!osol sp!a# $ans. in&+st!ial $leaning agents. ins+lato!s. 0t#!o oa("s. $oolants. a+to ai! $on&itione!s. ho(e ai! $on&itione!s an& !e !ige!ato!s@ (%%%)be#on&&is$o'e!#)$o()) Ma*o!it# o =>=s $ont!ib+ting to &epletion is the a+to ai! $on&itione!s in o+! $a!s) The =>=s insi&e a+to an& ho(e ai! $on&itioning s#ste(s. as %ell as in !e !ige!ato!s $an lea3 o+t. an& e'ent+all# %ill !ise into the at(osphe!e &est!o#ing the ozone la#e!) /$$o!&ing to A!een pea$e. @The (an+ a$t+!es o =>=s an& othe! ozone &epleting p!o&+$ts in$l+&e< D+pont. El 7/to$he(. I=I. LaRo+$he. Rhone Po+len$. Nippon Halon. an& /llie& 0ignal@ (%%%)g!eenpea$e)o!g)) The total 'al+e o all the ozone &epleting p!o&+$ts sin$e 5:BC e2$ee&e& D46)C billion. %ith the Unite& 0tates p!o&+$ing a la!ge (a*o!it# o the p!o&+$ts) The!e a!e othe! ele(ents an& (an7(a&e $he(i$als that $ont!ib+te to the ozone &epletion) /n# o!( o ele(ental b!o(ine that !ea$ts %ith ozone is e2t!e(el# &ange!o+s) >o! e2a(ple. (eth#l b!o(i&e is a $o(po+n& that is +se& as a pesti$i&e an& +(igant, the b!ea3 &o%n o b!o(ine ato(s in pesti$i&es &+e to the s+n"s !a#s. $an be (o!e than E6 ti(es as &est!+$ti'e to ozone (ole$+les than $hlo!ine ato(s) Halons that a!e +se& in i!e e2ting+ishe!s $ontain b!o(ine. %hi$h also &epletes ozone) H#&!o$hlo!o l+o!o$a!bons a!e 3no%n as H=>=s. the# a!e $atego!ize& as $lass II ozone &epleting s+bstan$es be$a+se these p!o&+$ts &o not &eplete the ozone as (+$h as =>=s) H=>=

Ozone Depletion E e$t

Even minor problems of ozone depletion can have major effects. Every time even a small amount of the ozone layer is lost, more ultraviolet light from the sun can reach the Earth. Every time 1% of the ozone layer is depleted, 2% more UV ! is able to reach the surface of the planet. UV ! increase is one of the most harmful conse"uences of ozone depletion because it can cause s#in cancer. $he increased cancer levels caused by e%posure to this ultraviolet light could be enormous. $he E&' estimates that () million 'mericans born by the year 2)*+ ,ill get s#in cancer because of ozone depletion. 'bout one million of these people ,ill die. -n addition to cancer, some research sho,s that a decreased ozone layer ,ill increase rates of malaria and other infectious diseases. 'ccording to the E&', 1* million more cases of cataracts can also be e%pected. $he environment ,ill also be negatively affected by ozone depletion. $he life cycles of plants ,ill change, disrupting the food chain. Effects on animals ,ill also be severe, and are very difficult to foresee. .ceans ,ill be hit hard as ,ell. $he most basic microscopic organisms such as plan#ton may not be able to survive. -f that happened, it ,ould mean that all of the other animals that are

above plan#ton in the food chain ,ould also die out. .ther ecosystems such as forests and deserts ,ill also be harmed. $he planet/s climate could also be affected by depletion of the ozone layer. 0ind patterns could change, resulting in climatic changes throughout the ,orld.

1umans cause more damage to the ozone layer than any other source. 2ource3 4eocities.com, 1556

Earth/s atmosphere is divided into layers, ,hich have various characteristics. 2ource3 7.'' 'eronomy 8aboratory, 1556

' pictorial e%planation of ho, the interaction of 9:9s and UV radiation damage the ozone layer. 2ource3 4eocities.com, 1556

UV !, the most harmful radiation to humans and plants, has a ,avelength of 26) ;1+ nanometers, as measured on the electromagnetic spectrum. 2ource3 7ilsson, 155(

UV radiation causes the transformation of trans U9' to the form cis U9', damaging <7' and causing the immune system to suppress. 2ource3 7ilsson, 155(

What can be done?

Ways to Protect the Ozone Layer !. 9. 7. 6. *. A. )inimize high altitude aircraft flights &o%ygen reduction and water vapor deposition' )inimize rocket flights &water vapor deposition' Encourage growth of plants that produce o%ygen, discourage deforestation /ecrease D control releases of high temperature steam D moisture to the atmosphere Eliminate production and release of known ozone depleting chemicals &such as =<=s and :=<=s' where remotely possible. ubsidize production of safer alternatives where possible. Establish controls to assure that new compounds to be used in high volume, are surveyed for effect on ozone.

5ote that there is only one way for significant amounts of =<= emissions to leave our atmosphere permanently. .nd that is by them entering the ozone layer, and being destroyed by the abundant U($ ; and U($= radiation there. The BclimbB takes a long time, and we have been releasing these gases since the early !"##s in large ?uantities. !ctions an Individ"al #an Ta$e %see the lin$ belo& 'or (ore)

Try to use products which are labeled B-zone$<riendlyB Ensure technicians repairing your refrigerator or air conditioner recover and recycle the old =<=s so they are not released into the atmosphere. (ehicle air conditioning units should regularly be checked for leaks. .sk about converting your car to a substitute refrigerant if the aDc system needs ma4or repair :elp start a refrigerant recovery and recycling program in your area if none already e%ists. 2eplace halon fire e%tinguishers with alternatives &e.g. carbon dio%ide or foam'. uggest school activities to increase awareness of the problem and to initiate local action.

Vario"s De'eatist or *reenist !ns&ers There is no such thing as saving the ozone layer. The 8ndustrial 2evolution was the beginning of the end of the ozone layer. :umans did not recognize the problem until it was too late to fi%. .ll of the things being done to slow down ozone depletion should have been done years ago. ;y removing man from the planetE Everything man does the earth will try to recover its natural e?uilibrium. There is an arguement that says the earth is taking care of itself i.e. the increase in global warming is what the earth needs to do to recover. There is also an arguement that says it cant cope with the amount of chemical we are pumping into the air and therefore depleting ozone. The ?uestion that needs to be answered before this one is Bwhy do we need to take care of the ozoneEB That will help inform the answer to this ?uestion. /on't use any aerosols with =<=s as propellant and make sure your fridge is as highly rated as it can be and is working properly. 8f you stop littering and try to use the three 2's more often or always then the pollution in the air will decay and the holes in the ozone layer will patch. well, first you gotta get rid of all the cars and .LL the ships that blow smoke. and second, you can't use a lot of energy in your home. T:.T speeds up -zone /epletion

;an =<=s. /one. Enforce the ban globally. ;an the burning of fossil fuels &for the slight reduction in o%ygen, and the increase in hot water vapor'. .void cutting down trees, e%cept to replace fossil fuels. 3reen forests for rotting vegetation &either replace fossil fuels with these, or se?uester them for future coal'. 2educe aircraft flights, and reduce the altitude that they fly at. !. /ont use the car so much. 9. Turn of the lights and the faucet when not in use. 7. Use blankets to stay warm in the winter. 6. ,ear thinner clothes in the summer to stay cool. Learn about how ozone is made, what blocks its production, and what accelerates its decay. Learn about what the ozone layer does for us. Look at the actions of )an that help or hinder maintaining an ozone layer. )ake sure that you and your family Bwalk the talkB and support efforts D actions that protect that layer. Learn about geoengineering, and make sure that people don't blindly apply sulfur compounds to the air in an effort to reduce Bglobal warmingB. #ontrarian Position .n :-5E T look at whether or not we can do anything to protect the ozone layer re?uires us to honestly view what is causing the BholeB, or if a hole is even forming. The ozone BholeB is a thinning of a layer found only near the poles, particularly the south pole and only when the sun is not hitting the area. This is because of the earth's tilt. The -5LF times this thinning occurs is when the sun is not present. The e?uator shows virtually zero thinning. olar flares seem to be the largest determining factor of how large these BholesB get during their brief life. The largest disruption we have been able to determine has ever happened to the ozone layer was in !0*" due to sun flares. .ctive winds pushing 5itrogen into the ozone layer seem to have a large effect on this area also.

Ozone hole forms over Antarctica

It is a (inor +as in o"r at(osphere and (ostly occ"rs in the ,ozone layer, at hei+hts bet&een -. and /0 $ilo(etres. 1rin+in+ all the ozone in the ,layer, do&n to +ro"nd level &o"ld +ive a thic$ness o' aro"nd /(( o' p"re ozone2 &hich red"ces to aro"nd -(( at the hei+ht o' the ozone hole. !t the s"r'ace o' the earth it is poisono"s in lar+e 3"antities2 b"t in the stratosphere it prevents har('"l "ltra4violet radiation 'ro( reachin+ "s. 1!S has been (eas"rin+ ozone in the !ntarctic since -506 and o"r (eas"re(ents led to the discovery o' the ozone hole. ! little ozone also e7ists closer to the 8arth's s"r'ace and recent research sho&s that nat"ral halo+ens in !ntarctica can prod"ce depletion in this near s"r'ace layer.

The discovery by the ;ritish .ntarctic

urvey of the .ntarctic ozone hole provided an early

warning of the dangerous thinning of the ozone layer worldwide, and spurred international efforts to curb the production of =<=s. The provisions of the )ontreal 3rotocol of !"0> on ubstances that /eplete the -zone Layer have been revised and strengthened and are being followed by virtually all U5 )ember states. There is a reasonable prospect that the .ntarctic ozone hole will permanently repair itself, but not until around 9#>#. ;ritish scientists began their measurements of .ntarctic ozone at :alley in !"*A. The aim was to understand the important role that ozone plays through absorbing solar energy, in determining the temperature profile of the stratosphere and its wind circulation. The amount of ozone overhead :alley station follows a regular seasonal pattern. 8n the spring, ozone amounts begin to fall and reach a minimum in early -ctober $ this is the peak of the .ntarctic ozone hole. 8n late spring ozone amounts rise to a ma%imum and then slowly decline. The spring$time ozone hole is the result of emissions, mainly in the northern hemisphere, of chlorofluorocarbons &=<=s' and halons. These gases were in widespread use in refrigeration, industrial solvents and fire control, but are now regulated by the )ontreal 3rotocol. The gasses are broken down into their constituents over the tropics, and circulate towards both poles. -nly over the .ntarctic during winter is it cold enough for clouds to form in the ozone layer, and here chemical reactions on the cloud surfaces convert chlorine into an active form. ,hen the sunlight comes back in the spring, this activated chlorine destroys ozone at about !@ per day leading to the ozone hole. .s the atmosphere warms, the clouds disappear and the ozone hole fills in.

Each year a large area of decreased ozone concentration or 8ozone hole8 grows over 5ntarctica. )his hole covers the whole continent and is at its largest in 4e!tember. )he year 2..9 saw the longest lasting hole on record, which remained until the end of *ecember. :96; )he hole was detected by scientists in 0693:6.;and has tended to increase over the years of observation. )he ozone hole is attributed to the emission ofchlorofluorocarbons or CFCs into the atmos!here, which decom!ose the ozone into other gases.:60; 4ome scientific studies suggest that ozone de!letion may have a dominant role in the recent climate changes in 5ntarctica +and a wider area of the 4outhern (emis!here,. :6.; Ozone absorbs large amounts of ultraviolet radiation in the stratos!here. Ozone de!letion over 5ntarctica can cause a cooling of around </C in the local stratos!here. )his cooling has the effect of intensifying the westerly winds which flow around the continent +the !olar vorte=, and thus !revents outflow of the cold air near the 4outh >ole. 5s a result, the continental mass of the East 5ntarctic ice sheet is held at lower tem!eratures, and the !eri!heral areas of 5ntarctica, es!ecially the 5ntarctic >eninsula, are sub?ect to higher tem!eratures, which !romote accelerated melting.:6.; @ecent models also suggest that the ozone de!letionAenhanced !olar vorte= effect also accounts for the recent increase in sea'ice ?ust offshore of the continent. :62;

I(age o the la!gest /nta!$ti$ozone hole e'e! !e$o!&e& &+e to=>= a$$+(+lation (0epte(be! 866C))