Ozone is formed in the stratosphere when ultraviolet radiation from the sun collides with the molecular oxygen of the Earth's atmosphere.
US space agency NASA has released a new video that shows a big hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. The video was released by NASA on October 29 and this year's hole is not expected to be closed earlier than late November. This is the biggest hole for the 13th time since 1979.
Scientists credit global warming as the main reason behind this. The ozone layer is monitored by three satellites of NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The first is AURA, the second is SOMI-NPP and the third is NOAA-20.
How is the ozone layer formed naturally?
Ozone is formed in the stratosphere when ultraviolet radiation from the sun collides with the molecular oxygen of the Earth's atmosphere. This, in more ways than one, acts as sunscreen for Earth, protecting it from ultraviolet rays. However, sadly, due to the chlorine and bromine released from human activities, the ozone layer starts deteriorating which allows the ultraviolet rays of the sun to reach Earth.
Under the Montreal Protocol in 1987, 50 countries signed an agreement to ban the production of substances that deplete the ozone layer. However, there are still many countries that have not signed it. NASA still believes that the Montreal Protocol has been a huge relief.
Paul Newman, chief scientist for Earth sciences at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, in a statement, said, "This is a large ozone hole because of the colder than average 2021 stratospheric conditions, and without a Montreal Protocol, it would have been much larger."
In 2021, the ozone layer hole has reached its highest level
The hole in the ozone layer reached its highest level in 2021, roughly of North America's size which is 2.48 crore square kilometers.
NASA has said that the ozone layer has decreased rapidly since mid-October 2021 and if the Montreal Protocol had not been implemented, the size of the ozone layer hole would have been 4 million square kilometers and more.
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 "Video showing huge ozone hole over Antarctica leaves scientists worried - Watch")
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