Atmospheric Structure and Ozone

The ozone layer is mainly found in the lower portion of the stratosphere, from approximately 20 to 30 kilometres above Earth, which shields the earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiations. Ozone gas is present in 10 ppm in this ozone layer.

The ozone hole was first discovered and documented over Antarctica in the 1980s due to specific atmospheric conditions and human-made chemicals.

We know that surrounding the troposphere of earth, there is a layer of the stratosphere. It is made up of ozone molecules that are formed by the effect of UV rays in these areas. Due to excessive chlorofluorocarbon compounds, and emission of carbon dioxide, it is getting depleted. At the poles, it is constantly getting thinner and thinner. This is called the ozone hole. 

Depletion of ozone layer is noticed all over the earth.
Ozone is destroyed by collisions with other atoms and molecules.

• An ozone hole is depletion of the ozone layer which is present in the stratosphere region around 26-30kms above the Earth surface. It was first detected in the stratosphere over Antarctica.
• It is caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) found in air conditioners, aerosol spray cans, refrigerants, etc. CFCs can not be removed in the troposphere and moves in the stratosphere layer where it reacts with ozone, thereby releasing of free chlorine atoms and causes the ozone layer to deplete. 

When the oxygen-depleting substances like CFCs, HFCs, methyl bromide etc. find their way to the stratosphere, the UV rays spilt them to release the reactive species of chlorine and bromine. These reactive species react with the ozone to release the oxygen, thereby causing the depletion of ozone. The ozone hole is the place where the thickness of the ozone layer is very thin and the concentration is less than 220 DU. It is seen over Antarctica due to the process of polar vortex and formation of polar stratospheric clouds.

Ozone or O$ _3$ is a triatomic gas that forms a layer in the upper part of atmosphere called the Stratosphere. It acts as a shield against harmful radiations of the sun.

The term ozone hole refers to the severe depletion of the ozone layer in the stratosphere, not a literal hole in the physical atmosphere or hydrosphere.

The ozone hole is a massive regional phenomenon, and its area of depletion can indeed cover millions of square kilometers, often exceeding the size of the Antarctic continent.

CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) were widely used in aerosols and refrigeration and are the primary cause of the ozone layer depletion observed over Antarctica.

The phenomenon of significant ozone depletion over Antarctica is commonly referred to as the Antarctic ozone hole.

Ozone layer is present in the stratosphere which absorbs the harmful ultraviolet radiation Ultraviolet rays cause heritable mutational changes. They have the capability to destroy plants and animals and can cause skin cancer, cataracts to human beings. Existence of life on earth is possible only because of the presence of ozone layer around the earth. The main cause of the ozone hole was found to be gases that contained chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons and freons. Found commonly in aerosol cans and released by many electronic appliances, these decrease the level of ozone in the stratosphere. All of these gases contain chlorine, which is a major cause behind the thinning of the ozone layer. The presence of chlorine within CFCs break down the ozone gases in ozone layer which increases the chances of ozone depletion. CFCs have accounted for about 80% of ozone depletion. 

Polar spring, also known as the Antarctic Spring is the period from late August to early October and the strong westerlies circulate around the Antarctic continent creating a polar vortex. The polar vortex results in the formation of the polar stratospheric clouds which trap most of the gases including the ozone-depleting factors like CFCs, methyl bromide etc. 

The discovery of the ozone hole over Antarctica was done by British Antarctic Survey Scientist Farman, Gardiner and Shanklin and reported in the Nature journal in May 1985. The ozone hole is defined as the area in the atmosphere where the value of the ozone is less than 220 DU. Paul Crutzen, Mario Molina and Sherwood Rowland gave the observation of CFCs in degradation of the ozone.

The ozone layer in the stratosphere is created by the interaction of the UV radiation from the sun and the oxygen. It is capable of absorbing the most damaging type of UV radiation called the UV-B. The ozone hole refers to the depletion of the ozone by the pollutants like CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs. The pollutants split up due to UV radiation and the nascent chlorine reacts with the ozone molecules to form the oxygen. Over Antarctica, the ozone is highly depleted and so the widest ozone hole is seen there. This is because of the presence of the stratospheric cloud in abundance.