Qing-Bin Lu, a professor at the University of Waterloo, says the hole is seven times the size of the well-known Antarctic ozone hole that emerges in the spring. The findings were published in the journal AIP Advances. Through his research, Lu claims to have discovered that the huge hole is present year-round and has been since the 1980s – about 40 years.
Read more: ‘The Green Planet’: David Attenborough explores the world of plants in rich BBC Earth series
Its presence could have devastating consequences for life on Earth, he warns. “The tropics make up half of the planet’s surface and are home to about half of the world’s population,” Lu said in a press release. “The existence of the tropical ozone hole may cause great global concern.” The tropics are regions of Earth across the middle of the planet, including the equator and parts of North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. “Ozone depletion can lead to increased ground-level UV radiation, which can increase the risk of skin cancer and cataracts in humans, as well as weaken the human immune system, reduce agricultural productivity and adversely affect sensitive aquatic organisms and ecosystems. ” he said.
Read more: Jupiter is accreting from cannibalizing baby planets, scientists find
The ozone layer is a naturally occurring layer of gas in the Earth’s stratosphere and is vital to sustaining life on Earth by protecting us and other life from the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. The process of ozone formation and destruction is ongoing, but researchers in the 1970s found that certain industrial chemicals—including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), agents in some aerosol sprays and refrigerants, among others—can accelerate the breakdown. This theory was supported by the confirmation of the Antarctic ozone hole in 1985.
Governments at the time rushed to ban many of the harmful chemicals, and last year the United National Environment Program (UNEP) reported that stopping the use of these chemicals was helping to heal the ozone layer. Lu and his team say they spotted this latest hole by looking at average annual ozone changes, differences in annual ozone climatology and changes in temperature over recent decades, but his findings have shocked other scientists whose conventional photochemical modeling did not show the large gap. This new discovery, if true, overturns much of what science has learned about ozone holes.
Read more: Astronauts experience increased bone loss on return to Earth: Calgary study
Many researchers have questioned the study, saying Lu’s methods were flawed. Paul Young, a researcher at Lancaster University and lead author of the latest scientific assessment of ozone depletion (who was not involved in the study) told the Science Media Center that Lu looked at percentage changes in ozone, not absolute changes.
“There is no “tropical ozone hole,” driven by electrons that the author suggests from cosmic rays or something else. The long-term changes and annual variability of the ozone layer in the tropical lower stratosphere are well understood to be the result of both anthropogenic processes and natural factors,” said Young. “The author’s identification of the ‘tropical ozone hole’ is because he is looking at percentage changes in ozone, rather than absolute changes, the latter being much more relevant to the destruction of UV radiation reaching the surface. Interestingly, his article also does not draw from the vast literature investigating and documenting ozone trends in all regions of the atmosphere.”
Read more: Mummified woolly mammoth calf discovered by Yukon gold miners
Martin Chipperfield, professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of Leeds, told the Science Media Center that he was “surprised that this study was published at all in its current form”. “The results of this work will be very controversial and I am not convinced that they are correct,” he said. “The claim in this research of such large ozone changes in the tropics has not been evident in other studies, which makes me very suspicious. Science should never be based on a single study, and this new work needs careful verification before it can be accepted as fact.” The study builds on previous work by Lu and his colleagues on an ozone depletion theory. The team has been studying the cosmic ray-induced ozone depletion (CRE) mechanism for nearly two decades. “The present discovery calls for further careful studies on ozone depletion, changing UV radiation, increased cancer risks and other negative effects on health and ecosystems in the tropics,” said Lu.
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
title: “Canadian Scientist Says He Found A Huge Ozone Hole Over The Tropics " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-06” author: “Barbara Keith”
Qing-Bin Lu, a professor at the University of Waterloo, says the hole is seven times the size of the well-known Antarctic ozone hole that emerges in the spring. The findings were published in the journal AIP Advances. Through his research, Lu claims to have discovered that the huge hole is present year-round and has been since the 1980s – about 40 years.
Read more: ‘The Green Planet’: David Attenborough explores the world of plants in rich BBC Earth series
Its presence could have devastating consequences for life on Earth, he warns. Story continues below ad “The tropics make up half of the planet’s surface and are home to about half of the world’s population,” Lu said in a press release. “The existence of the tropical ozone hole may cause great global concern.” The tropics are regions of Earth across the middle of the planet, including the equator and parts of North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. “Ozone depletion can lead to increased ground-level UV radiation, which can increase the risk of skin cancer and cataracts in humans, as well as weaken the human immune system, reduce agricultural productivity and adversely affect sensitive aquatic organisms and ecosystems. ” he said.
Read more: Jupiter is accreting from cannibalizing baby planets, scientists find
The ozone layer is a naturally occurring layer of gas in the Earth’s stratosphere and is vital to sustaining life on Earth by protecting us and other life from the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. The process of ozone formation and destruction is ongoing, but researchers in the 1970s found that certain industrial chemicals—including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), agents in some aerosol sprays and refrigerants, among others—can accelerate the breakdown. This theory was supported by the confirmation of the Antarctic ozone hole in 1985. 2:18 Antarctic ozone hole now at smallest Antarctic ozone hole – October 27, 2019 Governments at the time rushed to ban many of the harmful chemicals, and last year the United National Environment Program (UNEP) reported that stopping the use of these chemicals was helping to heal the ozone layer. Trending Stories
The family of a man accused of abducting a 13-year-old Edmonton girl is giving a statement $350,000 raised for Burger King worker who got an insignificant gift bag for 27 years of service
Story continues below ad Lu and his team say they spotted this latest hole by looking at average annual ozone changes, differences in annual ozone climatology and changes in temperature over recent decades, but his findings have shocked other scientists whose conventional photochemical modeling did not show the large gap. This new discovery, if true, overturns much of what science has learned about ozone holes.
Read more: Astronauts experience increased bone loss on return to Earth: Calgary study
Many researchers have questioned the study, saying Lu’s methods were flawed. Paul Young, a researcher at Lancaster University and lead author of the latest scientific assessment of ozone depletion (who was not involved in the study) told the Science Media Center that Lu looked at percentage changes in ozone, not absolute changes. 0:52 NASA says ozone hole is recovering NASA says ozone hole is recovering – January 5, 2018 “There is no “tropical ozone hole,” driven by electrons that the author suggests from cosmic rays or something else. The long-term changes and annual variability of the ozone layer in the tropical lower stratosphere are well understood to be the result of both anthropogenic processes and natural factors,” said Young. Story continues below ad “The author’s identification of the ‘tropical ozone hole’ is because he is looking at percentage changes in ozone, rather than absolute changes, the latter being much more relevant to the destruction of UV radiation reaching the surface. Interestingly, his article also does not draw from the vast literature investigating and documenting ozone trends in all regions of the atmosphere.”
Read more: Mummified woolly mammoth calf discovered by Yukon gold miners
Martin Chipperfield, professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of Leeds, told the Science Media Center that he was “surprised that this study was published at all in its current form”. “The results of this work will be very controversial and I am not convinced that they are correct,” he said. “The claim in this research of such large ozone changes in the tropics has not been evident in other studies, which makes me very suspicious. Science should never be based on a single study, and this new work needs careful verification before it can be accepted as fact.” The study builds on previous work by Lu and his colleagues on an ozone depletion theory. The team has been studying the cosmic ray-induced ozone depletion (CRE) mechanism for nearly two decades. “The present discovery calls for further careful studies on ozone depletion, changing UV radiation, increased cancer risks and other negative effects on health and ecosystems in the tropics,” said Lu. Story continues below ad 5:27 NATO to cut emissions by 45% by 2030, be carbon neutral by 2050: Stoltenberg Previous Video Next Video © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
