Continued Decrease In Stratospheric Ozone Likely To Persist For Decades

[hatrack]

The hole in the ozone layer could grow significantly over the next few years, reigniting fears over skin cancer, cataracts and damage to vulnerable plant life.

According to scientists in Germany, changes in the sun's activity have delayed natural repairs to the layer of gas high in the stratosphere, and are about to trigger further ozone loss. They say the ozone layer, which shields the Earth from the worst of ultraviolet radiation, will not begin to recover until the end of the decade.

Martin Dameris, who led the research at the Institute for Atmospheric Physics in Wessling, said: "The ozone hole will stay around for another four to five years. We can't expect it to start to recover until 2010 and then it will take another 40 to 50 years to repair completely."

Ozone depletion is a largely forgotten problem since the Montreal protocol successfully reduced levels of CFC chemicals in the atmosphere, after British scientists in Antarctica reported they were destroying ozone. But some experts have been puzzled by the layer's slow recovery. The German team pins the blame on the 11-year solar cycle, which makes the amount of solar radiation striking Earth periodically rise and fall. Scientists already knew the cycle influenced ozone, but Dr Dameris says its role in controlling the layer's recovery has been overlooked.

EDIT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,1710757,00.html

[Canuckistanian]

1. You mean "Stratospheric Ozone"?

[hatrack]

2. Yeah, duh, bad brain day

I need more :beer:

[Canuckistanian]

3. You and me both

Interesting article, BTW.