81. Atmosphere - Ozone Layer Banner Atmosphere Air Quality I Weather I El Nino / La Nina I OzoneLayer. ozone layer. About the Topic. Environment Australia Ozone http://www.environment.vic.gov.au/web/root/domino/gateway/envgate.nsf/viewforms/

Air Quality I Weather I El Nino / La Nina I Ozone Layer Ozone Layer About the Topic Environment Australia - Ozone Protection Environment Australia's (EA) Ozone Protection site provides information on ozone and ozone layer depletion including the current status of, and science on, the ozone hole. http://www.ea.gov.au/atmosphere/ozone/index.html Ozone Depletion - CSIRO The CSIRO Ozone Depletion site provides information on the ozone layer, the ozone "hole" and the effects of ozone depletion. http://www.dar.csiro.au/information/ozone.html Research CRC for Southern Hemisphere Meteorology The Ozone program being undertaken by the Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) for Southern Hemisphere Meteorology is identifying key mechanisms that control stratospheric ozone, in particular the effects of transport, in the southern hemisphere and especially in the Australian region. http://www.maths.monash.edu.au/lib/shm_gone.shtml What Is Being Done? Methyl Bromide phase-out Methyl bromide is a broad-spectrum fumigant, which controls a range of soilborne diseases, insects, nematodes and weeds. It has been classified as a powerful ozone-depleting substance; the bromines it contains are fifty times more destructive to ozone than chlorine (eg. from CFCs). This site contains information about the Australia wide phase out of Methyl Bromide. Ozone Protection in Victoria The EPA Victoria site provides information on the Industrial Waste Management Policy (Protection Of The Ozone Layer) which came into operation on 5 November 2001. The policy updates and refines Victoria's management framework for users of ozone-depleting substances to minimise consumption and emissions of these substances.

82. Ozone Layer - Wikipedia Other languages Français. ozone layer. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.The ozone layer is the part of the Earth's atmosphere which contains ozone. http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone_layer

Main Page Recent changes Edit this page Older versions Special pages Set my user preferences My watchlist Recently updated pages Upload image files Image list Registered users Site statistics Random article Orphaned articles Orphaned images Popular articles Most wanted articles Short articles Long articles Newly created articles All pages by title Blocked IP addresses Maintenance page External book sources Printable version Talk Log in Help Other languages: Ozone layer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The ozone layer is the part of the Earth 's atmosphere which contains ozone . Its importance lies chiefly in ozone's ability to absorb certain frequencies of ultraviolet radiation Ozone in the earth's atmosphere is generally created by ultraviolet light striking oxygen molecules which consist of two oxygen atoms (O ), creating two single oxygen atoms, known as atomic oxygen , the atomic oxygen then combines with a molecule of O to create Ozone, O . The ozone molecule is also unstable and when ultraviolet light hits ozone it splits into a molecule of O and an atom of atomic oxygen, a continuing process called the

83. The Ozone Layer Custom Research. The ozone layer. Introduction. Since the mid 1980’s scientistshave been aware of the continuing depletion occurring in the ozone layer. http://www.essaybank.co.uk/free_coursework/1793.html

EssayBank.Co.Uk - The UK's Largest Free Essay and Coursework Database EssayBank.Co.Uk A Level Physics : The Ozone Layer Jump to Coursework Select a Category A Level A Level/Art A Level/Biology A Level/Chemistry A Level/Classics A Level/Economics A Level/French A Level/Geography A Level/German A Level/History A Level/Law A Level/Maths A Level/Media Studies A Level/Miscellaneous A Level/Philosophy A Level/Physics A Level/Politics A Level/Psychology A Level/Sociology A Level/Spanish GCSE GCSE/Art GCSE/Biology GCSE/Biology/Enzymes GCSE/Biology/Osmosis GCSE/Business Studies GCSE/Chemistry GCSE/Drama GCSE/Economics GCSE/English Language GCSE/Geography GCSE/History GCSE/History/African GCSE/History/Britain GCSE/History/European GCSE/History/France GCSE/History/Germany GCSE/History/Russian GCSE/History/Vietnam GCSE/Languages GCSE/Languages/French GCSE/Languages/German GCSE/Languages/Irish GCSE/Languages/Welsh GCSE/Latin GCSE/Maths GCSE/Maths/T Shapes GCSE/Miscellaneous GCSE/Music GCSE/Physics GCSE/Physics/Pendulum GCSE/Psychology GCSE/Technology IB IB/Anthropology IB/English Orals IB/Group 4 IB/History IB/IB Extended Essays University University/Art University/Biology University/Economics University/Geography University/History University/Law University/Philosophy University/Politics University/Psychology University/Sociology University/Spanish University/Technology Coursework GCSE Coursework A-Level Essays University Essays IB Coursework ... Personal Statements User Options Search Bookmark Page Contribute Contribute Work Other Sites Coursework.Info

84. Depletion Of Ozone Layer Depletion of ozone layer. Since then the depletion of ozone layer causedby human activities has become of worldwide great concern. http://www.goin.nasda.go.jp/GOIN/JMA/htdocs/jmamajor/dozone.html

Depletion of Ozone Layer The stratosphere (about 10-50 km above the Earth surface) contains approximately 90% of all ozone in the atmosphere, thus called the ozone layer, and its highest values are found in the lower stratosphere at a level of 19-23 km. Since the ozone layer shields all the living things on the Earth from damaging ultraviolet radiation from the sun, its maintenance is essential for the health of all the living things. And yet, the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) used for semiconductor cleaning, compressors, spray cans, etc., could destroy ozone when transported to the stratosphere. Evidence of serious ozone declines, so-called the ozone hole, over the Antarctic during the Antarctic-spring (September-November) was first reported by Japan Antarctic Survey scientist. Since then the depletion of ozone layer caused by human activities has become of worldwide great concern. The lower-stratospheric ozone depletion could change radiative balance with possible effects on the surface-troposphere system resulting in climate change. October 1979 October 1986 October 1994 Ozone hole : the depletion of Antarctic ozone. (Monthly mean total ozone over the southern hemisphere in October.)

85. Atlantic Green Lane - The Ozone Layer What's Going On Up There? The ozone layer What's Going On Up There? A giant umbrella over the Earth. Youhave probably heard people talk about a hole in our ozone layer. http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/udo/ozone.html

National Home Atlantic Home Quebec Home Ontario Home ... BC and Yukon Home Select a Topic Children's Environmental Health Climate Centre Community Programs Contact List of Experts Emergencies Enforcement and Compliance Environmental Assessment Environmental Links Funding Programs Hunting Hurricane Centre Legislation We Administer Marketplace: Our Products Media Spokespersons Meet Our Minister Meteorology News Releases Oiled Seabirds Pollution Information Publications Smog Forecast Wildlife Nature and Wildlife Pollution Meteorology Community Programs ... Storm Summaries The Ozone Layer What's Going On Up There? A giant umbrella over the Earth You have probably heard people talk about a "hole" in our ozone layer. Damage to our Earth's giant protective umbrella is more severe in the South Pole, but, even there, no actual "hole" exists. And only a slight thinning occurs over the rest of the world. So no matter where you stand, you won't find a true "hole". About 20 kilometres thick, this giant umbrella is made up of a layer of ozone gas. This gas is found some 15 to 35 kilometres above the Earth's surface in the upper atmosphere or "stratosphere". Like a good pair of sunglasses, the ozone layer acts like a natural filter, blocking out most of the sun's harmful UV (ultraviolet) rays. Without the ozone layer, more people would get sunburns, skin cancer and cataracts. Plants and animals would also be affected. So we can think of the ozone layer as our planet's own protective sunscreen.

86. Ozone Layer's Recovery Still In The Future NOAA 2000519 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Barbara McGehan 9/13/00.ozone layer'S RECOVERY STILL IN THE FUTURE. Government and university http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2000/sep00/noaa00r519.html

NOAA 2000-519 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Barbara McGehan OZONE LAYER'S RECOVERY STILL IN THE FUTURE Government and university scientists say that even though ozone depleting substances are beginning to decrease in the atmosphere, it will be some time yet before scientists are able to observe whether the ozone layer itself is getting back to normal. A new study published in the September 16 issue of the Journal of Geophysical Research estimates that it will be several decades before an increase in the amount of total overhead ozone (called "total column ozone") will be detectable. Elizabeth C. Weatherhead, a University of Colorado scientist at NOAA 's Air Resources Laboratory in Boulder, Colo., and colleagues, analyzed predictions from NASA/Goddard's two dimensional chemical model, along with predictions from nine other chemical models used in the World Meteorological Organization's 1998 ozone assessment , to estimate the time required to detect predicted trends of ozone recovery in different areas of the world. Results indicate that recovery of total column ozone is likely to show up earliest in the Southern Hemisphere near New Zealand, southern Africa and southern South America. "We should expect to be able to detect recovery in most regions of the world within the next 15 to 45 years," Weatherhead said. "That's based on full compliance with the

87. The Environmental Literacy Council - Ozone Layer ozone layer. Ozone Ozone Global Warming. One common misperception isthat thinning of the ozone layer is causing global warming. Ozone http://www.enviroliteracy.org/subcategory.php/146.html

Home About ELC Site Map Contact Us ... Food Ozone Layer Ozone (O ) is present in trace amounts throughout most of the atmosphere but is most abundant in the stratosphere. There is a thin layer of ozone about 15 to 40 km above the Earth's surface, which plays an important role by filtering harmful solar rays. At any given place, the ozone layer varies in size with the seasons, because ozone is produced when solar energy reacts with oxygen molecules, and solar energy varies with the seasons. Because the greatest seasonal variations in solar energy occur at the poles, fluctuations in the ozone layer are also greatest in the stratosphere over the poles. Variations in the amount of ozone are also linked with periodic changes in atmospheric winds, volcanic and solar sunspot activity. There are continual photochemical reactions in the stratosphere because of the influx of short-wave radiation. Ozone is continually created and destroyed in catalytic reactions with oxides of hydrogen, nitrogen, and chlorine. In the 1970s, scientists observed thinning in the ozone layer over Anarctica and concerns arose that emissions from human activities were implicated in ozone depletion. In particular, the concern was that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which had been widely used as refrigerants and in aerosols because they are inert and non-toxic, might be capable of depleting the ozone layer. Scientists M. J. Molina and F.S. Rowland demonstrated in their lab that CFCs could be broken down by ultraviolet light in the atmosphere and that the chlorine released could break down ozone molecules.

88. The Ozone Hole The influence of the human race on climate is still a matter for study and speculation,but the ability to perturb the ozone layer is an established fact. http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/Key_Topics/The_Ozone_Hole/

HOME A-Z index contact BAS careers ... Advanced search The Ozone Hole FAST FIND ... PEOPLE ... HOT TOPICS ... LEARNING ... JUST FOR FUN ... ABOUT US MAP - To find us ABOUT ANTARCTICA =======Reset====== Key Topics The Ozone Hole The Ozone Hole 2002 The Ozone Hole 2001 ... Environmental Protection Further Information Current Ozone levels What is Ozone? The Ozone Hole 2002 The Ozone Hole 2001 ... SITEMAP You are here: / HOME Key Topics The Ozone Hole / The Ozone Hole The influence of the human race on climate is still a matter for study and speculation, but the ability to perturb the ozone layer is an established fact. British scientists began their measurements of Antarctic ozone in 1957. 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 should follow a regular seasonal pattern. The Antarctic ozone layer did so for the first 20 years of BAS measurements, thereafter clear deviations were observed. In every successive spring the ozone layer was weaker than before, and by 1984 it was clear that the Antarctic stratosphere was changing progressively. This phenomenon is the result of emissions, mainly in the northern hemisphere, of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons. These gases are in widespread use in refrigeration, industrial solvents and fire control. If the provisions of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer of 1987 are strengthened and followed, there is a prospect that the Antarctic ozone hole will be repaired by 2100.

89. United System-Wide EARTHWATCH /gt Atmosphere Damage To Ozone Home Atmosphere Damage to ozone layer, Home. News. About Earthwatch.UN Partners. Agenda Atmosphere. Damage to ozone layer. Satellite http://earthwatch.unep.net/atmosphere/ozonedepletion.html

90. KLUWER Academic Publishers | Chemistry And Radiation Changes In The Ozone Layer Books » Chemistry and Radiation Changes in the ozone layer. Chemistryand Radiation Changes in the ozone layer. Add to cart. Proceedings http://www.wkap.nl/prod/b/0-7923-6514-3

Title Authors Affiliation ISBN ISSN advanced search search tips Books Chemistry and Radiation Changes in the Ozone Layer Chemistry and Radiation Changes in the Ozone Layer Add to cart Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute, held in Kolympari, Crete, Greece, from 15-24 May 1999 edited by Christos S. Zerefos Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece Ivar S.A. Isaksen Institute of Geophysics, University of Oslo, Norway Ioannis Ziomas Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece Book Series: NATO SCIENCE SERIES: C: Mathematical and Physical Sciences (continued within NATO SCIENCE SERIES II: Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry Volume 557 Recent studies have demonstrated a link between ozone changes caused by human activities and changing UV levels at the Earth's surface, as well as a link to climate through changes in radiative forcing and links to changes in chemical composition. This book draws together key scientists who provide state of the art contributions on the variable ozone layer and the interplay of longwave and shortwave radiative interactions which link ozone, the climate and UV issues. Contents and Contributors Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht

91. KLUWER Academic Publishers | Protecting The Ozone Layer Books » Protecting the ozone layer. Protecting the ozone layer Lessons,Models, and Prospects. Add to cart. edited by Philippe G. Le http://www.wkap.nl/prod/b/0-7923-8245-5

Title Authors Affiliation ISBN ISSN advanced search search tips Books Protecting the Ozone Layer Protecting the Ozone Layer Lessons, Models, and Prospects Add to cart edited by Philippe G. Le Prestre John D. Reid Environment Canada E. Thomas Morehouse Jr. Institute for Defense Analyses, USA Protecting the Ozone Layer: Lessons, Models, and Prospects Since the mid-1980s, the international community has adopted several significant instruments designed to reverse the degradation of the life support systems of the planet. None of these international agreements have been as successful as the 1987 Montreal Protocol in creating the incentives and mechanisms for protecting the ozone layer. Through the efforts of industry, government and public interest groups, national commitments and achievements have progressed further and faster than expected, while the list of controlled chemicals has expanded. Now in its second decade, the Protocol enters a crucial phase of its implementation. Protecting the Ozone Layer: Lessons, Models, and Prospects presents a wealth of information about the scientific, legal-political, and technological hurdles that we will have to overcome if humanity is to reverse its self-destructive course. The technology section in particular should appeal to industries affected by ozone layer protection as well as those affected by climate protection, since this is the first ozone publication featuring insights by the companies that spearheaded the major technological breakthroughs.

92. Chemical Of The Week -- Ozone However, because of the damage CFCs cause to the stratospheric ozone layer, aninternational agreement reached in 1987, the Montreal Protocol on Substances http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/chemweek/ozone/ozone.html

OZONE Ozone is a form of elemental oxygen. In its most stable form, elemental oxygen exists as diatomic molecules (O ). The molecules of ozone contain three oxygen atoms (O ) and are unstable with respect to O . Ozone is a very reactive gas, and even at low concentrations it is irritating and toxic. It occurs naturally in small amounts in the Earth's upper atmosphere, and in the air of the lower atmosphere after a lightning storm. At room temperature, ozone is a pale blue gas with a sharp odor, characteristic of the air after a thunderstorm or near an old electric motor. It condenses to a dark blue liquid at -112°C and freezes at -193°C. Ozone is much more reactive than O . It is a very powerful oxidizing agent, second among elements only to fluorine. It can oxidize many organic compounds and is used commercially as a bleach for waxes, oils, and textiles, and as a deodorizing agent. Because it is a powerful germicide, it is also used to sterilize air and drinking water. Ozone is usually manufactured by passing an electrical discharge through O gas or through dry air. The resulting mixture of ozone and O

93. BBC News | SCI/TECH | Ozone Layer 'thinning Over Europe' Scientists are warning that the ozone layer is becoming severely depletedover a large part of northern Europe, including the UK. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_656000/656014.stm

low graphics version feedback help You are in: Sci/Tech Front Page World UK ... AudioVideo BBC's Robert Pigott "The future of protecting the ozone layer seems bleak" real Friday, 25 February, 2000, 02:46 GMT Ozone layer 'thinning over Europe' Greenhouse gases are thought to be to blame There is fresh evidence that the ozone layer is thinning over the UK and northern Europe. Scientists are alarmed by the depletion, which was previously thought to be a problem mostly confined to the Southern Hemisphere. Ozone protects the Earth from the Sun's ultraviolet radiation, and doctors are concerned that if it is eroded more people will suffer from skin cancer. Meteorological readings taken in the stratosphere over the Arctic show that in six of the past 10 winters, ozone has thinned to half its normal concentration. Gradual warming It seems that the same gases responsible for the "greenhouse effect" - claimed by many scientists to be gradually warming the Earth - are simultaneously making the stratosphere cooler. The main greenhouse culprit is carbon dioxide, largely created by the burning of fossil fuels.

94. Ozone THE EARTH'S ozone layer. There are probably very few people alive today who haven'theard about the ozone layer. Location of ozone layer. WHAT DOES OZONE DO? http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/CVisco/ozone.htm

THE EARTH'S OZONE LAYER There are probably very few people alive today who haven't heard about the ozone layer. As with most science-related topics, there is also a great deal of confusion about the ozone layer, its effects, and what exactly has been happening to it. The purpose of this activity is to explore the ozone layer in detail to better understand what all the fuss is about. INTRODUCTION The diagram below shows the density of ozone versus altitude. 1. What is the approximate altitude of the Ozone layer? WHAT DOES OZONE DO? Now that you have a better idea of exactly where the ozone layer is, it's time to figure out exactly why it is so important. All energies that move at the speed of light are collectively referred to as electromagnetic radiation or 'light'. Various types of light differ in their wavelength, frequency and energy; higher energy waves have higher frequencies and shorter wavelengths. Wavelengths are measured in units known as a nanometer (nm) which is one billionth, or 10e-9, meters. The chart below shows the types of energy that make up the solar spectrum 2. Which types of energy shown on the chart above make up most of what we receive from the sun here on earth?

95. CFC-Free Medication For An Ailing Ozone Layer CFCFree Medication for an Ailing ozone layer. by Tamar NordenbergMore than 20 million Americans, including those who use metered http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1997/497_cfcs.html

CFC-Free Medication for an Ailing Ozone Layer by Tamar Nordenberg More than 20 million Americans, including those who use metered-dose inhalers for their asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, could be affected if the Food and Drug Administration finalizes a policy to phase out medical products that contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). FDA is seeking comments from the public on a rule the agency first proposed in March that also covers CFC-containing products far less common than metered-dose inhalers, such as nitroglycerin sprayed into the mouth to relieve chest pain. Metered-dose inhalers and some other medical products use CFCs as propellants to carry the drug to the lungs or elsewhere in the body. While these products don't present a direct threat to users' health, they contain CFCs that eat away at the Earth's protective ozone layer and lead to increased ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Because increased UV rays are linked to skin cancer, cataracts, suppressed immune systems, and other health problems, CFCs indirectly can contribute to these conditions. FDA's move toward phasing out CFC-containing medical products is part of a worldwide reduction in CFC production under the international agreement "Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer" and the U.S. Clean Air Act. (See

96. Cheshire Innovation | Other Innovations - Saving The Ozone Layer Other Innovations Saving The ozone layer Unfortunately, if these gasesleak out of the pumps, they can attack the Earth's ozone layer. http://www.cheshire-innovation.com/other/ozone_layer.htm

New Invention: A cryocooler to replace Stirling and Pulse Tube designs ...full news story Re-creating an innovation culture in Britain-Click to link with our dedicated innovation web site Other Innovations - Saving The Ozone Layer First, a word about the technical problem which we need to solve: The snag with existing refrigeration pumps is that they need lubrication. But, lubrication oil can mess up the working gases inside the pumps, and stop them working. The current solution is to use CFC or HCFC gases. These are great, because oil doesn't mess them up. Unfortunately, if these gases leak out of the pumps, they can attack the Earth's ozone layer. If someone comes up with a new design of pump, which will work efficiently, for long periods of time, without needing lubrication, then humanity will have moved a long way towards solving the ozone layer problem. We could still build the refrigerators and air conditioning units that we need, without having to resort to CFC or HCFC gases. A New Breed of Lubricant Free Displacement Pumps The lubricant free designs cover piston, diaphragm and peristaltic type pumps. All the pumps are powered by in-built tubular linear motors. The armature is built into the piston or diaphragm crown and the stator passes through a hole in the centre of the crown. The space swept out by both faces of the crown is utilised to provide a very compact positive displacement pump. Planned internal leakage of a small fraction of the pumped gas between adjacent pumping chambers provides the necessary lubrication and solves side slap problems. The metal case of the pump acts as a Faraday cage, eliminating EM emission problems.

97. The Ozone Layer - What's Going On Up There? You have probably heard people talk about a hole in our ozone layer. Without theozone layer, more people would get sunburns, skin cancer and cataracts. http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/water/greatlakes/data/climate-flyer/ozon.html

You have probably heard people talk about a "hole" in our ozone layer. Damage to our Earth's giant protective umbrella is more severe in the South Pole, but, even there, no actual "hole" exists. And only a slight thinning occurs over the rest of the world. So no matter where you stand, you won't find a true "hole". About 20 kilometres thick, this giant umbrella is made up of a layer of ozone gas. This gas is found some 15 to 35 kilometres above the Earth's surface in the upper atmosphere or "stratosphere". If the ozone layer were brought down to the Earth's surface, air pressure and temperature conditions would compress the ozone into a layer 2 to 5 mm thick! Like a good pair of sunglasses, the ozone layer acts like a natural filter, blocking out most of the sun's harmful UV (ultraviolet) rays. Without the ozone layer, more people would get sunburns, skin cancer and cataracts. Plants and animals would also be affected. So we can think of the ozone layer as our planet's own protective sunscreen. Ozone (O ) has three atoms of oxygen. The form of oxygen we breathe (O

98. International Day For The Preservation Of The Ozone Layer: UNEP DTIE OzonAction International Day for the Preservation of the ozone layer On 19 December 1994,the General Assembly proclaimed 16 September the International Day for the http://www.uneptie.org/ozonaction/events/ozoneday/main.html

About Us Library NOU Support Compliance ... FAQ International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer On 19 December 1994, the General Assembly proclaimed 16 September the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the date, in 1987, on which the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed ( resolution 49/114 ). States are invited to devote the Day each year to promote, at the national level, activities in accordance with the objectives of the Montreal Protocol and its amendments. The following present and past materials and information can be used by governments, industry and individuals to help celebrate Ozone Day. Ozone Day 2002 Information to be added shortly Ozone Day 2001 Message from the UN Secretary-General On The Occasion Of The International Day For The Preservation Of The Ozone Layer (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish) More Action Needed to Guarantee Recovery of Ozone layer: New Substances May Damage Earth's Protective Shield (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian).

99. Protecting The Ozone Layer (Hardback) - Earthscan Environmental Books Protecting the ozone layer (Hardback) The United Nations History Author StephenO Andersen and K Madhava Sarma Normal Published Price £40.00 OnLine http://www.earthscan.co.uk/asp/bookdetails.asp?key=3766

100. Ozone Layer Thinning ozone layer Thinning. A thinner ozone layer is likely to cause a noticeableincrease in skin cancer, eye problems, and other diseases. http://www.harc.edu/4site/4siteFCRolt.html

Houston Environmental Foresight Seeking Environmental Improvement Ozone Layer Thinning The layer of ozone in the stratosphere, a layer far above the earth's surface, is critical to life on earth because it blocks out ultraviolet rays. Human activities have reduced ozone concentrations in the upper atmosphere at some times and in some places around the world. A thinner ozone layer is likely to cause a noticeable increase in skin cancer, eye problems, and other diseases. The "ozone hole" is probably the best known result of the thinning of the ozone layer. Scientists are certain that man-made chemicals (chlorofluoro-carbons, or CFCs) have reduced the amount of ozone in the upper atmosphere. The most dramatic effects have occurred over Antarctica, where levels of ozone drop sharply every September forming a "hole" in the ozone layer. The Foresight Committee ranked ozone thinning in the category of least risk because serious effects are not expected in the Houston area. Two findings influenced this ranking. First, ozone layer thinning effects in the United States are strongest in the northwest; there may be effects over Houston, but so far satellite data suggests changes are negligible. Stratospheric Ozone Levels Over North America Satellite Measurements Source: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

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