Ozone-Layer Depletion: Its Consequences, the Causal Debate, and International Cooperation

• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1988
• Subjects: Antarctic; Isi; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.78.2374; http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/essays/v11p039y1988.pdf

Since the announcement of a thinning of the ozone layer over the Antarctic by UK scientists in 1985, world attention has been focusing on the causes of this phenomenon. There has been an interux debate on whether the thbssrirtg is a natural, cyclic phenomenon or is due to industrialeffects, or a combination. This essay highlighta current ISI @ research fronts on photochemicsd processes and dynamics of the upper atmosphere. In 1985 UK scientists reported a dramatic seasonal thinning of the ozone layer over Antarctica. This discovery raised the consciousness of both the world scientific community and government bodies. This new awareness has been underscored by the results of last autumn’s Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment (AAOE), which reported the lowest ozone levels yet recorded for that time of the year. ~Figure 1 depicts the Antarctic ozone thinning. In 1979 we discussed ultraviolet radiation and its relationship to skin cancer.z In that essay, we briefly touched upon the ozone layer and the concerns at the time that it was being eroded. World attention haa since been foreetidly focused on the problem as a result of the dramatic findings by scientists. The concern for the ozone layer around the world stems from the fact that this layer, primarily in the region 10 to 50 kilometers above the earth, screens out most of the darnaging ultraviolet (DUV) radiation emitted by the sun.3 Such wavelengths cause not only the discomfort of sunburn but also more grave effects such as skin cancer.q Ozone is a triatomic allotrope of oxygen (a form of oxygen in which the molecule contains three atoms instead of two as in the common form) that accounts for the distinctive odor of the air after a thunderstorm or around electrical equipment. Ozone is an irritating, pale blue gas. In liquid form, it is 39 explosive and toxic, even at low concentrations.5 The allotrope’s chemical constitution was established in 1872.6 The word “ozone ” was coined by French scientist C.F. Schoenbein in 1840 (from the Greek word ozein, to smell) ...