Antarctic Ozone Hole May Reach Record Extent This Year - IPS

[hatrack]

TORONTO, Sep 13 (Tierramérica) - A huge ozone hole has developed over Antarctica for the second year running, exposing southern Argentina and Chile to high levels of damaging ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. The "hole" over the South Pole -- actually an annual thinning of the ozone layer during the southern hemisphere spring months of September and October -- currently measures about 25 million square km and growing, according to European Space Agency satellite data, and it may yet become the biggest hole in history.

While this seems at odds with recent announcements that the amount of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the lower atmosphere has finally started to decline, those chemicals will remain in the atmosphere for many decades.

Meanwhile, increases in other ozone-depleting substances like methyl bromide are rising and continued illegal use of CFCs means the fight to protect the ozone layer is far from over.

"New holes will likely develop for at least the next 30 to 40 years," says Craig Long, a meteorologist with the U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Climate Prediction Centre, located in the eastern state Maryland. "This year's Antarctic hole should reach its maximum size mid-September," Long told Tierramérica. The timing coincides with the United Nation's International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, September 16.

EDIT

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=30247

[tives12]

1. I'm going to save of money and buy myself a bubble.

[phantom power]

2. To live in?

[hatrack]

3. Are you saying that you want to become president?

:evilgrin:

[NNadir]

5. Allegedly George is going to vacate his bubble, leaving it for others.

Maybe he'll explode on exposure to air.

Actually, most Americans live in bubbles. They're about to break though.

[jpak]

4. I'm leaving for the Ross Sea next month to do UV impact studies

Unfortunately, it looks like there will be one...

[funflower]

6. Sounds interesting. Keep us posted.