"Pacman of the Antarctic" stratospheric cloud gobbling up ozone (& yes, it's our fault)

The Sydney Morning Herald ^ | August 22, 2003 | Andrew Darby

[yankeedame]

Pacman of the Antarctic - goodbye ozone

By Andrew Darby

August 22, 2003

It's beautiful, but dangerous - this cloud puts on a stunning light show over the Antarctic but it is a grim warning that this year's hole in the ozone layer could be the biggest yet.

The stratospheric cloud is an ozone-eater, spotted recently by Australian scientists at Mawson station. Chemical reactions in such clouds convert normally inert man-made chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) into ozone destroyers.

Dr Andrew Klekociuk, an atmospheric scientist with the Environment Department's Antarctic Division, said the first signs of cooling of the lower stratosphere, where the ozone hole forms, had been detected six weeks earlier than usual.

As well, high-altitude balloons released at Australia's Davis Station are recording unusually low temperatures - which can accelerate the chemical process that leads to ozone depletion.

Despite a recent announcement by NASA that the international restrictions on CFCs since 1987 appeared to be working, Australian scientists now believe that this year's hole is heading for a record.

The biggest hole recorded was in 2000, when it was about 27 million square kilometres, but last year it had shrunk to about 20 million square kilometres.

Yesterday, however, NASA measurements showed that the hole was rapidly widening and now stood at more than 10 million square kilometres. It usually peaks in late September.

[SolutionsOnly]

I recall hearing that the 'ozone hole' had reversed its trend was actually shinking of late.

[PsyOp]

I recall hearing that the 'ozone hole' had reversed its trend was actually shinking of late.

It shrinks (actually goes away) when Dems are in power (just like the homeless), and grows when republicans are in power. ;-]

[doc30]

THe size of the ozone hole over antarctica oscillates. It gets bigger in the antarctic winter and shrinks in the summer. Sunlight replenishes the ozone so in the winter it is normal for it to get bigger since there isn't any sunlight there then. But you are right, last year it was smaller than the year before, but it hasn't peaked in size for this year yet. Also, the discovery of the ozone hole is relatively recent and that's becasue no one looked for it before. It may be a permanenet fixture in the region. No one knows for sure.

[=Intervention=]

Quote of the day bump!!!

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[mtbopfuyn]

Also, the discovery of the ozone hole is relatively recent and that's becasue no one looked for it before. It may be a permanenet fixture in the region. No one knows for sure.

Bingo!

[ElectricStrawberry]

could be the biggest yet

Lemme know when you've actually measured the darned thing and find that it IS the biggest yet...and leave the coulda, shoulda, woulda thinkin' to the lefties in Boston.

[Williams]

How "grim" is the warning of a larger ozone hole if it dosn't really do anything? Also, if it grows after the cfc's were reduced, might that not indicate the cfc's were NOT the main contributing factor? Just wondering.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.

[RightWhale]

unusually low temperatures - which can accelerate the chemical process

Observations like this cause increased agitation of the tenured staff of the chemistry department.

[tubebender]

Thanks for all the pings.. Have you ever perused this site... http://www.orbusmax.com/

[bedolido]

First Church of Pacman

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[CPOSharky]

Has anyone yet explained how Freon, a gas that is heavier than air, released in the US makes its way to the stratosphere in Antarctica?

And how does "the colder it is the more it converts" work? I always thought that colder made reactions slow down.

[Redbob]

Does anyone here remember when "ozone" was considered healthful, and a region of mid-Louisiana was called the "Ozone Belt" and was recommended as a healthy vacation destination?

Anyone remember when room air cleaners would incorporate an ozone generator along with filters or electrostatic precipitators?

And now "bad air days" are rated according to hiow much ozone is in the air?
What produces MORE ozone at the higher altitudes? Same thing as down here at the surface: unburned hydrocarbons.

So some goombahs are proposing to release massive quantities of methane and propane gas from high-flying aircraft!

[cogitator]

Also, the discovery of the ozone hole is relatively recent and that's becasue no one looked for it before. It may be a permanenet fixture in the region. No one knows for sure.

That's not accurate.

The History Behind the Ozone Hole

The graph below shows the atmospheric column ozone measured from the ground in Antarctica. It's obvious that the decline in ozone (during October, when the hole is "in place" over the continent) began in the 1970s, which is what the linked article says.

[cogitator]

See reply 17. The statement you quoted was inaccurate.

[Looking for Diogenes]

Also, if it grows after the cfc's were reduced, might that not indicate the cfc's were NOT the main contributing factor? Just wondering.

CFC's are extraordinarily long-lived molecules in the ordinary atmosphere. And there is very little exchange of gases ebtween the troposphere (lower atmosphere) and the stratosphere, where the ozone is. It can apparently take a decade or more for a CFC molecule to reach the ozone layer after it has been relesed. Furthermore CFC production has not stopped, it is being phased out.

The general expectation is that it will be decades before the CFC problem goes away.

[Looking for Diogenes]

Has anyone yet explained how Freon, a gas that is heavier than air, released in the US makes its way to the stratosphere in Antarctica?

You don't have to be a scientist to notice that gases do not stratify by weight. If that were the case then the air near sea level would be poisonous. Due to 'eddy convection' even heavy gas molecules are mixed homogeneously with the rest of the gases. The distribution of all gases except water vapor is fairly uniform throughout the lower atmosphere.

And how does "the colder it is the more it converts" work? I always thought that colder made reactions slow down.

You are correct that that is the normal case. Stratospheric chemistry has some peculiarities. I recall it may have something to do with ice crystals acting as a catlyst. There are many techinical articles on the web if you are interested in the details.