Environment: Arctic’s largest ozone hole closed – BBC News BBC Thai

The largest ozone hole ever discovered at the North Pole has been completely closed. After finding less than a month

In late March, scientists from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service found “unprecedented” vulnerabilities in the atmosphere over the Arctic region.

Thereafter, this vulnerability became the greatest vulnerability ever found in the northern hemisphere. As big as Greenland

But on April 23, the Copernicus atmosphere observation service. Announced the good news on Twitter that the ozone layer vulnerability has been closed

How important is the ozone layer?

The ozone layer protects the earth from harmful radiation from the sun. Most of the ozone in the world is in the stratosphere. At an altitude of 10-40 kilometers above the ground The ozone layer is one of the best protective ultraviolet rays.

The vulnerability of the ozone layer can affect the melting speed of ice. Immune system AND increases the risk of skin cancer and cataracts in humans

Observers from the atmosphere, Copernicus, said this was the first true vulnerability of the ozone layer. Although previously there has been a small hole in the past

How did the vulnerability occur and disappear?

Scientists say the rapid expansion of vulnerability is the result of bizarre weather conditions in the Arctic region.

When strong winds are blocked, cold air remains above the ice sheet for several consecutive weeks. It will create a reaction that scientists call a polar vortex, a spinning vortex. Created a powerful impact down to the ozone hole in the stratospheric atmosphere

Although the vulnerability is now closed. But scientists say there may be more gaps, depending on weather conditions.

The Copernicus Atmospheric Observation Service says that these are not closure measures to deal with a new species of corona virus. But due to the polar vortex reaction that has been going on for a long time

Vulnerability to ozone over Antarctica still exists

Scientists, in addition to a vulnerability in the ozone layer of the North Pole There are still gaps in Antarctica reopening every year in the last 35 years, which is much larger.

Although the size varies every year. But there are still no signs that those vulnerabilities are closing.

The ozone layer has gradually recovered since 1996 with the ban on chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are often used as coolants and in the production of aerosols. Is to destroy the ozone layer to make it thinner

The World Meteorological Organization claims that the ozone hole over Antarctica has shrunk by 1-3 percent per decade since 2000.

The ozone layer was found on the smallest Antarctic continent last year. But the World Meteorological Organization said it took at least 2050 before it closed entirely.