The ozone layer, which protects us from ultraviolet radiation, continues to weaken. Although the hole over Antarctica is closing, in the most populated areas of the planet the opposite is happening: the concentration of ozone decreases.
Although it is still not clear why this is happening, experts say that the person responsible is the human being, or more precisely, the polluting emissions that it emits into the atmosphere.
Ozone is a very powerful gas that, in excess, can cause premature death to a large number of people, but in the highest layers of the atmosphere, at a distance of about 15 to 50 kilometers, it is the best protective shield that could give us Earth. There the ozone molecules, made up of three oxygen atoms, trap up to 99% of ultraviolet rays and almost all infrared radiation. If it weren't for this layer, there could be no life as the radiation would literally burn the skin and plants.
Knowing this, no wonder that since 1985, year in which the hole in this layer was discovered over Antarctica, all world leaders agree to ban chlorofluorocarbons (CFC). CFCs, present in aerosols and air conditioners, among others, weaken the ozone layer. However, although this prohibition has reduced its use, has failed to make the layer stronger.
According to a study, which was based on measurements from satellites, atmospheric balloons and chemical-climatic models, the concentration of ozone in the middle and lower layers of the stratosphere has not stopped decreasing. In fact, there has been a decline of 2,6 Dobson units. In addition, in the lower atmospheric layer the concentration has increased, which is a serious problem because, as we mentioned, an excess of ozone is fatal to life.
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