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Global Change and Our Common Future Papers from a Forum (1989) / Chapter Skim
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8. The Earth's Fragile Ozone Shield
Pages 73-77

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From page 73...
... Theoretical studies of the chemistry of ozone carried out in the year prior to the discovery of the antarctic ozone hole suggested that chlorofluorocarbon production would be expected to decrease ozone by perhaps 5 to 10 percent sometime in the next century. In 1985, scientists from the British Antarctic Survey reported observations of a 50 percent decrease in total ozone during the antarctic spring.3 Figure 8.1 illustrates some of the observational data that revealed the ozone hole.
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From page 74...
... CURRENT THEORETICAL UNDERSTANDING OF ANTARCTIC OZONE DEPLETION The key to antarctic ozone depletion is the extreme cold temperatures that occur in the antarctic stratosphere. The stratosphere is extremely dry, generally precluding significant cloud formation except under the coldest conditions.
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From page 75...
... The broad range of experimental techniques used and the consistency of the observed perturbations in many different chemical compounds have provided firm evidence that these perturbations account for much if not all of the antarctic ozone loss.5 METEOROLOGICAL PROCESSES: ANTARCTIC AND ARCTIC The study of atmospheric chemistry is highly interdisciplinary, with strong links to meteorology and radiative transfer. Meteorology plays an important role in setting the stage for polar chemistry and modulating the extent of ozone depletion.
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From page 76...
... The latter perturbation is much more readily identified as compared to natural variability, and implies that measurements of chemical species such as chlorine monoxide can help to evaluate the present and future potential for ozone loss in those environments where direct identification of small ozone losses may be difficult. These considerations motivated studies of the chemical composition of the arctic stratosphere during the winters of 1987 and 1988, in which researchers sought to understand the chemistry of the Arctic during winter and to determine the extent to which it too may be influenced by polar stratospheric clouds.
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From page 77...
... Res., 1989. NASA reference publication 1208, Present State of Knowledge of the Upper Atmosphere 1988: An Assessment Report, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, D.C., 1988.
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Key Terms

  • ozone depletion
  • ozone hole
  • ozone loss
  • chlorine monoxide
  • polar stratospheric

  • antarctic stratosphere
  • cold temperatures
  • stratospheric clouds
  • substantial ozone
  • theoretical studies

  • ozone losses
  • arctic stratosphere
  • observational data
  • total ozone
  • ozone layer

  • antarctic spring
  • theoretical understanding
  • major volcanic
  • chemical species
  • temperatures remain

  • experimental techniques
  • species participates
  • rapidly captured
  • direct identification
  • ozone carried

  • nitrous oxide
  • remain cold
  • observed abundances
  • similar chemical
  • catalytic cycles


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