Climate Countdown: The Hidden Link Between Ozone and Earth’s Rising Heat.
“Naturespeaks”
We all know that our planet Earth revolves around the sun. Our planet is very close to the sun, due to which there is a lot of heat on Earth, and this heat is increasing day by day.
It comes as no surprise to anyone that sweated through it:2023 was the hottest year in Human history.
As we are seeing that this year 2024 will also be very hot, and it may continue to increase. Global warming is also increasing due to the heat on Earth. Large glaciers are melting, and the water level is rising in the oceans.
Now let’s talk about the reason for all this.
Let us first know about the Earth’s atmosphere~
The cover of air around us is known as the atmosphere. The atmosphere covers the Earth like a blanket. Our atmosphere consists of various layers or zones above the ground. The composition of air and gases is different in each layer or zone.
These are the four layers or zones of the atmosphere.
1. Troposphere [up to 8-16 km above the ground]
2. Stratosphere[upto 16-50 km above the ground]
3. Mesosphere[upto 50-100 km above the ground]
4. Thermometer[upto 100-500 km above theground]
The existence of life on this planet is only possible due to the presence of an atmosphere. There are many important roles played by the atmosphere on Earth, but we’ll discuss the role of the atmosphere in climate control.
Climate is the long-term pattern of weather in a particular area. This includes rainfall, temperature, snowfall, or any other weather condition. We usually define a region’s climate over a period of 30 years.
Temperature is the major factor that controls the climate on Earth. Our atmosphere maintains a life-supporting range of temperature. Because air is a bad conductor of heat, the atmosphere maintains an average steady temperature on the Earth.
The atmosphere forms a thick layer of gases over the Earth’s surface. Gases like Carbon dioxide allow heat of sunlight to enter the Earth’s atmosphere but do not allow their escape. This effect is known as the Greenhouse effect.
The excessive rise in temperature of the Earth during the day and the sudden fall in temperature at night are controlled by the atmosphere. During the day daytime it absorbs the heat of the sun and helps in reflecting of excessive heat. As a result, the average temperature of Earth remains satisfactorily steady during the day and night throughout the year.
The biggest reason for the increase in temperature, the melting of large glaciers, andthe increase in water level of oceans is the thinning of the ozone layer.
The Ozone layer, or Ozone shield, is a region of Earth’s Stratosphere.
The air contains oxygen mainly as a diatomic molecule(O2). But the upper layer of the atmosphere contains oxygen in the form of of triatomic molecule (O3).
Ozone is formed when harmful ultraviolet rays split the O2 molecule into O. This free oxygen atom is highly reactive and reacts with another O2 molecule and forms an Ozone (O3) molecule.
The Ozone forms a continuous layer in the upper atmosphere. This layer absorbs harmful ultraviolet rays of sunlight and prevents them from reaching the Earth’s surface.
Due to an increase in air pollution, many human activities and the use of certain chemicals are depleting the Ozone layer is being depleting. The pollutants released into the air are one of the causes of the depletion of the ozone layer. Another major cause of depletion of the ozone layer is Chloro-Fluoro-Carbons[CFCs]. In some parts, small holes have been noted in this layer
The hole formation in the ozone layer can be very dangerous for us. The Ozone hole was first discovered in May 1985 over Antarctica.
In 2024, this hole still exists. The annual Antarctic Ozone Hole reached an area of 26 Million Square kilometers in size, roughly three times the size of Brazil.
During the period 1956-1970, springtime ozone thickness above Antarctica varied from 280 to 325 Dobson units [1DU=1 PART PER MILLION]. The thickness was then reduced to 225 DU in 1979 and to 136 DU in 1985, and to 94 DU in 1994.
CFCs are synthetic chemicals that are used as coolants in refrigerators and air conditioners. These are also used in aerosols, in fire extinguishers, scent spray, and propellers, etc. When CFCs are sprayed into the air, they produce active Chlorine and Fluorine radicals in the ultraviolet radiation.
Through these reactions, this converts Ozone (O3) into Oxygen(O2), thereby destroying Ozone. As a result, the layer of Ozone keeps becoming thinner.
Ozone depletion is also caused due to substances such as Nitrogen Oxides, Halogens, Carbon Tetrachloride, Methyl Bromide, and many Hydrocarbons. Because of the Ozone layer hole, more ultraviolet radiation is able to reach the Earth. These radiations cause adverse effects on human beings, plants, and animals.
Some such effects are~
Skin cancer.
Reduced plant yield due to the death of seedlings.
Damage to the immune system.
Increased occurrence of harmful diseases i.e, Herpes.
Increased embryonic mortality rate.
Loss of sight in human beings and in animals.
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