South Pole Ozone

by Patrick Cullis, CIRES scientist in NOAA’s Global Monitoring Division, Boulder, Colorado

The Ozone Layer is the name given to naturally occurring high concentrations of ozone located from around ~35,000 – 160,000 feet above the surface of Earth.  The ozone layer is important to life on Earth because of its ability to filter out harmful doses of ultraviolet light from the Sun that has the ability to damage DNA in plants and animals and is the main cause of skin cancer in humans.   In this way, the ozone layer protects the Earth as a natural, global sunscreen.  In the early 1980’s scientists began to realize the ozone layer was thinning dramatically over the South Pole each spring.  This large, thin spot in the ozone layer came to be known as the “Ozone Hole.”  Throughout the 1980’s the thinning became dramatically worse and scientists connected the destruction to manmade chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) used in refrigeration and aerosol cans.  These chemicals stay in our atmosphere for a very long time so it was important to take action quickly.  In 1987 scientists, politicians, and world leaders were able to work together to sign the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and phase out worldwide production of these highly useful but environmentally harmful chemicals.  Since 1986, NOAA scientists have performed regular launches of high altitude balloons with instruments to measure the destruction, and recovery, of the ozone layer above the South Pole.   Next year we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Montreal protocol signing.  Follow along with us as we track what’s happening with the ozone layer this year and discover more clues to what it will do in the future!