Newly discovered atmospheric layer may impact Earth's climate (Holy Cow!!)

[jpak]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140404092931.htm

An international team of researchers headed by Potsdam scientist Dr. Markus Rex from the Alfred Wegener Institute has discovered a previously unknown atmospheric phenomenon over the South Seas. Over the tropical West Pacific there is a natural, invisible hole extending over several thousand kilometres in a layer that prevents transport of most of the natural and humanmade substances into the stratosphere by virtue of its chemical composition. Like in a giant elevator, many chemical compounds emitted at the ground pass thus unfiltered through this so-called "detergent layer" of the atmosphere. Scientists call it the "OH shield." The newly discovered phenomenon over the South Seas boosts ozone depletion in the polar regions and could have a significant influence on the future climate of Earth -- also because of rising air pollution in South East Asia.

At first Dr. Markus Rex suspected a series of flawed measurements. In October 2009 the atmospheric physicist from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) was on board the German research vessel "Sonne" to measure trace substances in the atmosphere in the tropical West Pacific. Tried and tested a thousand times over, the ozone probes he sent up into the tropical sky with a research balloon every 400 kilometres reported -- nothing. Or to be more accurate: almost nothing. The ozone concentrations in his measurements remained nearly constantly below the detection limit of approx. 10 ppbv in the entire vertical range from the surface of Earth to an altitude of around 15 kilometres. Normally ozone concentrations in this part of the atmosphere are three to ten times higher. (One part of ozone per billion by volume (ppbv) means there is one ozone molecule for every billion air molecules.)

Although low values at an altitude of around 15 kilometres were known from earlier measurements in the peripheral area of the tropical West Pacific, the complete absence of ozone at all heights was surprising. However, after a short period of doubt and various tests of the instruments it dawned on the worldwide recognized ozone specialist that he might be onto a phenomenon yet unknown to science. A few research years later and after the involvement of other colleagues came confirmation: Markus Rex and his team on board the "Sonne" had tracked down a giant natural hole over the tropical South Seas, situated in a special layer of the lower atmosphere known as the "OH shield." The research results on the newly discovered OH minimum will be published soon in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, with the Institute of Environmental Physics of the University of Bremen and other international research institutions as partners.

"Even though the sky appears to be an extensively uniform space for most people, it is composed of chemically and physically very different layers," Markus Rex explains the complex makeup of the atmosphere. The air layers near the ground contain hundreds or even thousands of chemical compounds. This is why winter and spring, mountains and sea, city and forests all have a distinct smell. The great majority of these substances are broken down into water-soluble compounds in the lower kilometres of the atmosphere and are subsequently washed out by rain. Since these processes require the presence of a certain chemical substance, the so called hydroxyl (=OH) radical, this part of the atmosphere is called the "OH shield." It acts like a huge atmospheric washing machine in which OH is the detergent.

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[loudsue]

1. Just one more On Shit We're Screwed moment

They just keep coming.

[Voice for Peace]

8. at least we have the internet to keep us entertained whilst we go extinct

[XemaSab]

9. Welcome to EE!

[Ghost Dog]

10. Heh heh

[salib]

2. The sheltering sky

[Laelth]

3. Nifty. k&r n/t

-Laelth

[MindMover]

4. One more reason to get clean from dinosaur juice ... nt

[NBachers]

5. Thank goodness there is still funding for the smart people amongst us.

[DallasNE]

6. Ozone Issues Have Been With Us For A Long Time

Around 35 years ago aerosol propellants were switched and new air conditioners could no longer use freon and that was to address issues with a hole in the Ozone layers over the poles, especially the south pole. Does this mean the wrong solution was applied those many years ago? And does this hole expand and contract in natural cycles? Many unanswered questions.

[Overseas]

7. K&R. Helps explain why arctic melting seems so accelerated.