Ozone layer depletion
You may have read and heard a lot about ozone depletion and how dangerous it is to the environment over the years,you will understand this with more clarity in this article
Hello Ozone Layer!
Ozone depletion from https://exter.in/
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Ozone layer is a thin layer composed of concentrated atmospheric ozone found about 9 to 18 miles (15 to 30 km) above the Earth’s surface, in the penultimate or the second-lowest layer in the atmosphere, called the Stratosphere. The majority of commercial airplanes fly through the lower parts of this stratosphere. Now that you have got some idea about where this layer is located, the next thing you need to know about is ozone.
Ozone is three oxygen atoms
Ozone is a molecule containing three oxygen atoms(O3). And this molecule is freely formed and destroyed naturally in the atmosphere. Or at least that’s how it was until 1970.The ozone concentration in the stratosphere used to vary naturally due to sunspots, seasonal cycles, and volcanic eruptions. However, scientific studies conducted during the 1970s revealed that the ozone layer was fast depleting because of non-natural causes.
Layers of atmosphere
The Earth is enveloped by what you call it as atmosphere. The atmosphere has several layers to it. From closest to farthest, the layers are:
- Troposphere
The troposphere starts at the Earth’s surface and extends around 8 to 14.5 kilometers high (5 to 9 miles). This part of the atmosphere is the most dense. It contains water vapour, clouds, birds; almost all weather is in this region.
- Stratosphere
The stratosphere starts just above the troposphere and extends to 50 kilometers (31 miles) high. The ozone layer, which absorbs and scatters the solar ultraviolet radiation, is in this layer. Aeroplanes fly in this layer to avoid flying into birds.
- Stratopause
This is the thin layer that lies between the stratosphere and mesosphere.
- Mesosphere
The mesosphere starts just above the stratosphere and extends to 85 kilometers (53 miles) high. Meteors burn up in this layer.
- Mesopause
It is the coldest part of the Earth’s atmosphere, with temperatures dropping to -143°C.
- Thermosphere
The thermosphere starts just above the mesosphere and extends to 600 kilometers (372 miles) high. Aurora and satellites occur in this layer. Unlike the mesosphere, the temperature in the thermosphere increases with altitude.
- Ionosphere
The ionosphere is an abundant layer of electrons and ionized atoms and molecules that stretches from about 48 kilometers (30 miles) above the surface to the edge of space at about 965 km (600 mi), overlapping into the mesosphere and thermosphere. This dynamic region grows and shrinks based on solar conditions and divides further into the sub-regions: D, E and F; based on what wavelength of solar radiation is absorbed. The ionosphere is a critical link in the chain of Sun-Earth interactions. This region is what makes radio communications possible.
- Exosphere
This is the upper limit of our atmosphere. It extends from the top of the thermosphere up to 10,000 km (6,200 mi).
Ozone layer depletion is a reason of concern
The stratospheric ozone layer absorbs a large portion of the sun’s harmful radiation, preventing it from reaching the earth and destroying it. It plays a key role in sustaining life on Earth as it absorbs the highly detrimental UV radiations, which are supposed to cause diseases like skin cancer, breast cancer, and cataract. It is also considered deadly to biodiversity and marine vegetation as well.
Damaging substances for ozone
The most damaging substances to hurt ozone are chlorofluorocarbons and other halocarbons, which strip away the oxygen molecules from ozone, depleting it at an alarming rate; so much so that now we have holes in the ozone layer in the polar regions.
Ozone depletion is an effect on the Ozone layer enveloping the Earth caused due to the Greenhouse effect. The more the ozone layer deplete, the stronger we feel the effects of global warming and climate change. We hear more and more cases of skin cancer everyday due to the harmful UV rays reaching us directly without the ozone layer to stop them.
It would be quite hard to ask
And almost impossible to stop using refrigerators and fire extinguishers, altogether. But still, it would help you in the long run if you could change your lifestyle around a little bit to accommodate the planet and yourself.
So the most accessible method available that you can add in your life style today is to switch to electric mobility, this will allow you to travel with zero exhaust gases.
The ozone layer, though high up in the atmosphere, need your assistance to stay afloat.
*This blog was written at exter.in/blog page. Content has been moved here to medium story.