Typically is the major ozone holes reserved for the atmosphere over the south Pole. But now unusually cold weather over the north Pole is a particularly large hole in the ozone layer there.
The first couple of days will the hole mostly lie over Northern Scandinavia. Then it will probably move into the west coast and cover most of the country. Vinterblek skin must, therefore, be applied extra to be out a lot at easter, warns researchers at NILU (Norwegian institute for air research).
the Hole in the ozone layer over the Arctic has been there in a few weeks. It is probably the largest we have seen here in the north so far, ” says senior researcher Tove Svendby.
How has the ozone layer over the Arctic has evolved since the 1. march. Dark blue and purple color marks the areas with the least ozone (the ozone hole), while yellow and red shows areas with more ozone.
Photo: NASA Ozone Watch Perlemorsskyene get blamed
the Reason why we get such a large hole in the ozone layer now has to do with the low temperatures in the stratosphere, 15-30 km above the ground.
Perlemorskyer form up here when it is very cold, below 80 degrees below zero. They can be seen as a rule only in winter in the polar regions.
When the sun shines on the clouds from the bottom, the rays of the sun broken in the surrounding ice crystals. This is the beautiful perlemorseffekten. But the beautiful colors come with a price.
Break down the ozone layer
Many will remember CFC-gases used for refrigeration and in aerosol containers in the past. There is still a part of them in the atmosphere. It takes namely several decades for them to decompose.
When these gases are hit by the light in the perlemorskyene, decomposes the atoms. Klorgassene that is released attacks the ozonmolekylene. Thus we get the hole in the ozone layer.
And that’s exactly what happens here up in the north right now.
Should smear us now
Even with an intact ozone layer is UV-radiation towards the earth like higher in the summer than now. The reason is that the sun is much higher in the sky in summer. Nevertheless, we should be extra påpasselige to smear us if we are to be much out now, explains Svendby.
the Difference now is that many like is much out of easter, and it with a vinterblek skin.
She can reassure us that when the temperature rises throughout the spring, the ozone hole closed pretty quickly. It will probably happen in a few weeks, believe researchers at NILU. They follow the monitors the ozone levels development with great interest from day to day.
At NASA, you can follow the development of the ozone layer day by day.
The blue area shows the hole in the ozone layer over the Arctic 27. march.
Photo: NASA Ozone Watch
