2023-10-09 04:00:05
One of the largest holes ever observed in the ozone layer above Antarctica is worrying scientists. This phenomenon could be linked to the eruption of the underwater volcano Hunga Tonga at the beginning of the year, according to satellite data.
Maximum size of the ozone hole in September 2023.
Credit: ESA/Copernicus Sentinel data (2023)/processed by DLR
The ozone layer is a region of the Earth’s atmosphere located between 15 and 30 kilometers above the surface (A surface generally designates the surface layer of an object. The term a…). It is rich in ozone, an oxygen molecule (A molecule is an electrically neutral chemical assembly of at least two atoms, which…) ) with three atoms (An atom (from the Greek ατομος, atomos, “that we cannot…), which protects life on Earth by filtering the harmful ultraviolet rays of the Sun (The Sun (Sol in Latin, Helios or Ήλιος in Greek) is the star…).
In 1985, researchers discovered that holes were appearing in this protective layer, in particular because of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), chemicals then commonly used. The international ban on CFCs in 1989 allowed a gradual regeneration of the ozone layer.
However, holes continue to form, especially in winter, due to polar stratospheric clouds (PSC). These clouds, made up of tiny ice crystals, accelerate the breakdown of ozone.
Simulation of the ozone hole over Antarctica in 2023.
Crédit: ESA/Copernicus Sentinel data (2023)/processed by CAMS/ECMWF
According to the European Space Agency (ESA), this year’s gap reached its maximum size on September 16, covering an area of (The area or surface area is a measure of a surface. By metonymy, we often designate…) equivalent to that of America (America is a continent separated, to the west, from Asia and…) from the North. Antje Inness, a researcher at the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, said it was “one of the largest holes in the ozone layer ever recorded.”
The eruption of the Hunga Tonga volcano could be a cause of this phenomenon. This eruption released more than 50 million tons of water into the atmosphere, increasing the risk of PSC formation and potentially destabilizing the ozone layer.
Satellite image of the Hunga Tonga volcano eruption on January 15, 2022.
Credit: NASA
Although this hole is one of the largest ever observed, there is no cause for alarm, according to ESA researchers. The area beneath the hole is mostly uninhabited and it is expected to close in a few months.
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