OZONE LAYER: Short Essay

OZONE LAYER

Behind the closed lab doors, scientists probed the ozone layer enveloping the earth at an altitude of about 10 km to 45 km high in the space, taking the full fury of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays and protecting the earth. But now they reckon that life on the earth depends on this ozone gas layer. It is made up of three atoms of oxygen.

But in 1982 it was spotted that the ozone layer had developed a hole by 50 percent! This hole continued to exist when spotted during every spring season. Later in 1985, the Nimbus-7 satellite confirmed this theory. At this spot, the ozone layer had become very thin. Since then, it has been monitored 24 x 7 by the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer satellite.

The ultraviolet rays are radiated by the sun in three ways: Ultraviolet Radiation of relatively long wavelengths (UVA), Ultraviolet Radiation of relatively short wavelengths (UVB) and Ultraviolet Radiation of very short wave lengths (UVC) which does not penetrate the ozone layer.

The reason for the depleting of ozone layer is attributed to the presence of gaseous substances, especially; the Chlorofluorocarbons’ (CFCs) release into the space due to several reasons stated below and merges with the ozone layer and affecting it. The unseen CFCs originate from even the fridges at home, carbon monoxide that the auto mobiles emit, smoke from the factories, diesel locomotives, aerosol, burning of waste, volcanic eruptions and forest fires.

Despite the banning of CFCs in 1996, the hole is continually becoming bigger with each passing year. Now it seems beyond salvage. However, further damage can be prevented, or otherwise, according to the Meteorologists the temperature in the globe would shoot up to 4 degree C in another 15 to 20 years time!

This escalating temperature would melt the polar ice caps, causing flood in the low lying islands. It is a joint effort, involving every individual’s contribution and dedication. There is a proportion in temperature rise. The loss of ozone is equally increasing the temperature.

Protect the noble ozone layer that protects us.