Ozone hole has peaked: UN (good news?)

[Bhaisahab]

http://www.dawn.com/2005/10/19/int6.htm

GENEVA, Oct 18: Depletion of the ozone layer above Antarctica, caused by emissions of industrial chemicals, seems to have peaked, indicating that global environmental pacts were working, UN scientists said on Tuesday.

The seasonal hole above the South Pole and Antarctica is now shrinking after falling short of the record years of 2003 and 2000, the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said in its latest bulletin.

It peaked at 26.9 million sq kms on Sept. 19, it said, against 29 million sq km in September 2003, which most scientists say was the record.


more at source

[swag]

1. Yes, that's good news. Serious efforts toward controlling CFCs were made

long ago.

It's important to not confuse, as do so many Americans, the Ozone layer with Global Warming, which is a problem that is accelerating by the minute, getting worse with the melting of tundras and the enormous resulting methane emissions (methane is a greenhouse gas that, unlike CO2, trees won't help with), continued deforestation, accelerating global industrialization, and the malignant neglect of individuals, governments, and corporations.

But the Ozone hole news is good. The CFC controls are working. But still, find the shade when you can. And wear strong sunscreen otherwise.

[depakid]

2. Interesting- but check out another story with the same facts:

Ozone hole third largest on record

GENEVA: This year's seasonal ozone hole over Antarctica was the third largest on record, but forecasters are uncertain how it will behave, the World Meteorological Organisation said on Tuesday.

The hole peaked last month at almost 27 million square kilometers, and then began shrinking, the WMO said.

That was just short of the record 28 million square kilometers set in 2003, the WMO said. The second-largest hole was logged in 2000.

"Because of uncertainties linked to climate change, we don't know if we reached the biggest ozone hole ever in 2003 or if it will be bigger," said WMO ozone expert Geir Braathen.

More: http://dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=6210&CatID=5

[skids]

3. Perhaps not as good news as it can be.

I can't find the link, but there was an article sometime back showing that the size of the ozone hole isn't our big worry -- rather a slight global depletion of the ozone combined with water vapor is having some sort of undesireable effect.

[jpak]

4. I'm leaving today for a research cruise to the Ross Sea

to investigate the impact of enhanced UV on marine microorganisms. (Won't be back until mid-December).

Looks like we'll see some...

[phantom power]

5. What are you measuring?

[jpak]

6. DNA damage, photo-inhibition of bacterial nucleic acid and

protein synthesis, diel (24 hour) variation in bacterial production, estimating UVR biological weighting functions (measuring how small bandwidths - a few nanometers - of the UV spectrum damage DNA and inhibit bacterial growth, taking samples for molecular-level genetic studies and other stuff...

It's mostly radioisotope work.

And it's going to be damned cold - we've never worked that far south this early in the spring. I anticipate LOTS of freeze problems with outdoor incubators (the water is only a few tenths of a degree away from freezing and air temps will be well below freezing - raises hell with the plumbing).

This will be my 6th expedition to Antarctica...and I'm exhausted already (gotta looooong flight to New Zealand today).

later PP!

[philb]

7. Not much difference in those numbers, no signif. decrease yet