Unusually large hole in the ozone layer opens up over the Arctic
Recommended for Arctic
We read about the hole in the ozone layer in Antarctica (at the South Pole), which is slowly getting smaller. The ozone layer is a natural layer of gas in the stratosphere (second layer of Earth’s atmosphere) that protects us from the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.
An unusually large hole has also been opening up in the Arctic at the North Pole recently. It is, however, much smaller than the one over the Antarctic
The European Space Agency (ESA) says that while it is expected to close up soon, it shows that the planet’s environmental health is not very good.
- Mini-ozone holes have been seen in the Arctic’s ozone layer in the past. However, the hole this time is bigger than usual.
- This larger-than-usual hole is believed to be caused by a polar vortex (a whirlpool of icy wind) as well as the presence of ozone-destroying chemicals such as chlorine and bromine.
- Unusually cold temperatures in the atmosphere trapped the polar vortex in the area, which dispersed (blew off) the ozone.
These extreme weather conditions are believed to be caused by climate change.
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Watch a video
This ESA video below shows the daily ozone levels over the Arctic from 9 March 2020 until 1 April 2020.
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