Nature is a state of balance. The anthropogenic factor disrupts the circulation of substances, which affects the planet. One example is the ozone layer. Humanity is constantly destroying it by flying into space, while the substance is additionally subject to decay in the lower layers of the atmosphere due to freons and emissions from light industry. This threatens with a list of problems:

• intensification of radiation beams;
• deterioration of air frequency parameters;
• changes in soil characteristics;
• acid rain;
• toxic mists.

Together, these factors threaten to destroy the Earth's ecology.

The ozone layer is found in the atmosphere between 15 and 40 km. Despite the variation in heights, the thickness of the shell is measured in a few millimeters. Thickest layer above the poles. The lowest concentration is at the equator. The ozone layer traps the lion's share of ultraviolet radiation. On average, the shell reduces the amount of ultraviolet radiation by 6.5 thousand times.

Ozone formation

Under the influence of sunlight, the ozone molecule breaks down into a molecule and an oxygen atom, thus absorbing dangerous radiation. In the presence of a third oxygen atom, these particles combine again to form an ozone molecule. The process is endless, but it can be disrupted by a person.

Causes of ozone depletion

The first talk of ozone depletion began in the 1960s. The reason was the decrease in ozone concentration by 40 percent over one of the British Arctic stations. At the same time, research began on the reasons due to which this destruction became generally possible.

Air transportation. Airplanes in the skies became the norm a long time ago, but it so happened that they are the ones who violate the ozone layer during the flight. No, cars do not punch "ozone holes" with their cabins, but aircraft fuel (aviation gasoline and kerosene) in the process of combustion form CO 2 from ozone. Under the conditions of the Earth's surface, carbon dioxide is formed as a result of fuel combustion in an oxygen atmosphere. At an altitude of several tens of kilometers, the air is more discharged. Together with oxygen, ozone also participates in the combustion process.

Carbon leads to disruption of the ultraviolet ozone conversion chain. The sunlight is replaced by a carbon atom. The resulting CO 2 sinks to the Earth's surface, and the concentration of the forming substance decreases in the ozone layer. In the 60s, when flights were not yet so accessible, this problem could still be solved by itself. But today an ordinary person flies several times a year, and for a big businessman or politician it is the norm to make several flights in a week. It is simply impossible to refuse such a convenient means of transportation.

Cosmetic industry. How often does each person use deodorant, hairspray, or air freshener? These things are a guarantee of human comfort.

At the same time, they contain all the same chlorofluorocarbons that deplete the ozone layer. Fortunately, this issue was one of the first to be closed. Back in 1970, at the Montreal conference, it was decided to find a replacement for chlorofluorocarbon (CFC). Propane-butylene was used, which in terms of quality properties did not differ in any way from CFCs.

Forest fires. The formed chlorine methyl (CH 3 Cl) with ascending streams of heated air during large-scale fires can reach the upper part of the troposphere and react with ozone.

Refrigeration units. Any refrigeration equipment is based on freon, which is used as a refrigerant.

Freon Is any substance with a low boiling point. After all, what is cold? It's a lack of warmth. The refrigerant takes heat, boils, enters the compressor, where it is compressed until the boiling point rises so much that the gas turns into liquid again. The gas becomes a liquid, releasing heat to the atmosphere, and the refrigerant is returned to work. It is in this moment that the basis for understanding the effect of freons on the atmosphere and the ozone layer lies. Freon works in a closed system, its leaks are insignificant. Freon entering the atmosphere is possible in three cases:

1. improper disposal;
2. violation of exploitation;
3. poor build quality.

Today it is forbidden to use "R 12" freon, which has a particularly destructive effect on the ozone layer. But you can go from the other side and introduce international quality control of assembly and operation of refrigeration equipment, monitor the correct disposal. After all, it's easier not to throw away than not to use.

How do freons affect the ozone layer?

They decompose in the upper layers of the atmosphere and the decomposition product is atomic chlorine, which leads to disruption of the chain of conversion of ultraviolet rays by ozone.

Ozone decomposes not into a molecule and an oxygen atom suitable for further reaction, but into chlorine oxide and oxygen. After that, in chlorine oxide, free oxygen atoms, of which a sufficient number soars around, are replaced by chlorine. As a result, after the reaction, two oxygen molecules and a chlorine atom are formed, which continues to destroy ozone over and over again. One atom can destroy about 100 thousand ozone molecules.

Chlorine cycle of ozone destruction.

Cl + О 3 → ClO + О 2

О + ClO → Cl + О 2

A common chemical reaction absorbs huge amounts of precious material in the stratosphere.

Consequences of destruction, ozone holes

The depletion of the ozone layer results in the so-called ozone holes. This is not literally a hole in the shell - just a place where the ozone concentration is greatly reduced. The worst thing is that such phenomena are wandering and the mechanism of their occurrence is not clear.

Over Australia regularly in the summer there is an ozone hole, which is accompanied by outbreaks of cancer. But cancer is not the whole list of negative effects:

• Due to the increase in the amount of sunlight on the leaves of plants and trees, burns will occur, the vegetation will no longer be able to compensate for the intake of CO 2. This is significant.
• The upper layers of the soil will begin to dry out, which means that in the new conditions, agriculture will become impossible, which is the main opportunity for humanity to feed.
• The radiation background of the planet will significantly increase, which means that the risk of getting sick with radiation sickness will increase significantly.

Taken together, all these factors are capable of destroying not only humanity, but also the Earth as a whole.

Acid rain

Acid rain causes roughly the same greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to the development of ozone holes.

Chlorofluorocarbons, decaying, leave carbon, which combines with water to form carbonic acid, although it has only a small share of the effect on the formation of acid rain. The main role is played by nitrogen and sulfur emissions. They are formed as a result of fuel combustion. Sulfur is present as a pollution in about 70 percent of the world's fuels, coal and oil. Nitrogen and sulfur, combining with oxygen in the atmosphere, first form oxides, and then, combining with water, acids, which precipitate in the form of rain.

How does this threaten humanity? Changes in the conditions of existence. Balance is also needed in the surrounding substances. All nature is imprisoned for existence in a neutral environment and an increase in the acidity of rainwater will lead to a change in the composition of the soil, which means a change in the entire biological community of the Earth. Specifically for humans, this means a change in farming conditions. All centuries of work on the development of crop rotation methods will go to dust, and we will again return to the slash-and-burn method. And this is with a positive development of events, since acid rains burn leaves that are not accustomed to them, and it is not known how many more liters of poisoned water this or that plant will endure.

Human immunity is also not happy with such a change in the composition of the rain. Only in Russia, due to such precipitation, the number of people suffering from asthma has almost doubled. And this is a new growth in industry, only associated with medicines.

Toxic mists

Another result of constant air pollution is toxic fog or smog. First appearing in 20th century London, smog contained large amounts of suspended particles of coal, soot and sulfur. Over 5 days, the number of deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases increased significantly. It should be noted that the composition of the pollution has become much more sophisticated.

Today smog can be seen in New York, London, Osaka or Beijing. This phenomenon arises as a result of a large number of factories concentrated in one place. What is the threat? Violation of metabolic processes in the body. Unfortunately, cancers, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases are only part of the picture.

In China, as a result of industrialization in a relatively short time, smog has become a fairly common occurrence. Above Beijing in general, every summer there is a fog of emissions, which is accompanied by a deterioration in water quality. All this has led to an increase in the popularity of the caesarean section procedure. Due to metabolic disorders in the body, women in the central part of the country are forced to bear a child for up to 12 months in anticipation of a natural birth.

The Chinese government is fighting for the cleanliness of the city, many factories have left the capital, but when this will affect the environmental situation is unclear.

If you received a sunburn, it means that you have experienced an aggressive effect on yourself. To protect against UV rays, we most often use sunscreen. For our planet, the role of sunscreen is played by the ozone layer. Without this "shield" we would not just get tanned - over time, nothing alive would remain on Earth.

Scientists suggest that the emergence of the Earth's ozone shield occurred four hundred million years ago. It was this process, in their opinion, that allowed microorganisms to rise from the bottom of the ocean and emerge on land. This is how life appeared on Earth.

What is the ozone layer

The ozone layer is the lightest and thinnest layer in the atmosphere and contains a relative concentration of ozone (up to 0.001%). The ozone layer protects our planet from dangerous ultraviolet radiation that can cause significant damage to life on Earth.

However, the ozone layer does more than just cover our planet. It can also be found on the surface of the earth - it is used for such purposes as bleaching paper pulp, disinfecting drinking water and removing unpleasant odors from food.

How the ozone layer is formed

Ozone is an allotropic modification of oxygen. Ultraviolet rays break down oxygen molecules, converting O 2 to O + O. After splitting, O joins other oxygen molecules to form ozone (O 3 = O + O 2).

Allotropic modifications are substances that are similar in composition, but differ in chemical structure and, accordingly, physical properties.

O 3 and oxygen molecules "absorb" about 97–99% of harmful ultraviolet radiation, converting it into heat.

Where is the ozone layer

The ozone layer is located at an altitude of 10 to 50 km above the Earth's surface, in the upper atmosphere. The ozonosphere (or ozone screen) is located at different levels at different latitudes of the planet. In tropical latitudes, the ozone layer is located at a distance of 25 to 30 km, in temperate latitudes - from 20 to 25 km, in the polar circle the distance is even shorter - from 15 to 25 km.

Ozone layer thickness

The ozone layer is considered the thinnest in the atmosphere. The concentration of ozone in the upper layers is measured in Dobson units. One Dobson unit is 10 micrometers of pure ozone at 0 ° C and stable atmospheric pressure. The normal concentration of ozone is 300 units. It follows that the ozone layer is only 3,000 micrometers (3 millimeters) thick.

Gordon Miller Bourne Dobson is a 20th century British physicist and meteorologist. He dedicated his life to studying ozone in the atmosphere and designed the first ozone spectrometer.

Ozone layer and UV radiation

The main task of the ozone layer is to protect the planet from dangerous solar radiation.

Low-dose UV radiation is beneficial for the human body, because it is directly related to the production of vitamin D.

In modern medicine, this radiation is used to treat psoriasis, osteoporosis, jaundice, eczema and rickets. The treatment also takes into account the risk of negative effects, therefore any use of this radiation takes place under strict medical supervision.

Long-term human exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation can trigger the development of acute and chronic diseases of the skin, eyes and the immune system.

Sunburns occur as a result of prolonged exposure to UV radiation on the skin. It can cause degenerative changes in skin cells, fibrous tissue and blood vessels. Skin cancer and cataracts are the most serious and frequent consequences of UV exposure.

The ozone layer serves as a natural shield for the Earth and saves humanity from ultraviolet radiation, which also causes DNA mutations.

The power of the sun's ultraviolet radiation is most often divided into three categories:

1. UV-A(320 to 400 nanometers): length not absorbed by ozone, as it is at a safe distance.
2. UV-B(280 to 320 nanometers): Most is absorbed by ozone, but this radiation length can be harmful to sensitive skin.
3. UV-C(less than 280 nanometers): completely absorbed by ozone. The most dangerous length, because it is the shortest and can destroy a good part of our ecosystem.

Years of studying the protective shield have shown that over the Earth's surface in some areas, the ozone layer has begun to thin out. The first "breach" was found over Antarctica.

Synthetic and artificial substances formed as a result of industrial activity were recognized as the cause of damage and thinning of the Earth's ozonosphere.

The cause of ozone destruction is chlorofluorocarbon, a group of organic compounds containing fluorine, chlorine and carbon atoms. These compounds are non-toxic, stable and, interacting with air, do not form explosive substances.

Freon (refrigerant)- a bright representative of these compounds and includes more than 40 different substances. The scope of freon covers almost all spheres of human life. For the first time, chlorofluorocarbons began to be used in the operation of refrigeration devices (refrigerators, air conditioners), replacing them with toxic and explosive ammonia and sulfur dioxide. Later, chlorofluorocarbons were widely used in aerosol cans, foaming agents, solvents, as well as in the food and perfume industries.

However, it is now known that under the influence of solar radiation, chlorofluorocarbons decompose in the atmosphere and form substances that effectively destroy ozone molecules. And if on Earth freon does not pose a danger to life, in the stratosphere it actively destroys the protective system of our planet.

In 1987, the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Program brought together scientists, diplomats, environmentalists, government officials, industry and commercial organizations to negotiate a chemical phase-out agreement. In January 1989, the Montreal Protocol entered into force, the world's first international agreement to regulate chemical pollutants.

Within the framework of the protocol, it was decided to gradually reduce the production and use of ozone-depleting chemicals, first of all, a ban was introduced on the use of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbon) in aerosol spray cans.

Ozone holes

In 1985, an ozone "hole" with a diameter of more than 1,000 km was discovered over Antarctica. To this day, it is the largest and covers an area of ​​just under 20 million square meters. km.

Fortunately, there is no hole as such. In fact, when scientists and popular media refer to a hole in the ozone layer, it is an area of ​​low ozone concentration. The thickness of the ozone layer in this area varies with the season.

Why was the hole formed over Antarctica, if the main reason is dangerous emissions?

Scientists explain this phenomenon by the fact that chlorofluorocarbons are transported to Antarctica by air currents. Particular climatic conditions, in particular, extremely low temperatures (down to -80 ° C) contribute to the formation of stratospheric clouds.

A series of chemical reactions take place in these clouds. Chlorine contained in CFCs is separated from other substances, crystallizes and remains in this state during the entire cold period. With the arrival of spring, the intensity of ultraviolet rays increases, chlorine atoms are released, destroying ozone molecules. As a result, an ozone hole is formed.

A world without an ozone layer

The ozone hole over Antarctica is not the only one. The number of holes is growing every year around the world. The flow of solar radiation increases and causes outbreaks of skin cancers and cataracts, and children are more susceptible to this phenomenon.

Scientists from the Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA), in order to prove the importance of the ozone layer, simulated the situation of the rapid destruction of the Earth's protective shield.

The team began work by creating a model for the atmospheric circulation of the earth's system, which takes into account chemical reactions in the atmosphere, fluctuations in temperature and wind, changes in solar energy, and other elements of global climate change. Ozone losses change temperatures in different parts of the atmosphere, and these changes promote or suppress chemical reactions.

Then the researchers increased the emission of CFCs and similar compounds by 3% per year, which is about half the rate in the early 1970s, when chlorofluorocarbons were actively used in production and households. Scientists allowed the simulated world to evolve from 1970 to 2065.

The year is 2065. Almost two-thirds of the Earth's ozonosphere has disappeared. The largest ozone hole over Antarctica has a twin over the North Pole. Ultraviolet radiation striking mid-latitude cities like Washington DC is so strong that it can cause sunburn in as little as five minutes. Due to the high level of radiation, the likelihood of DNA mutation increases by 650%.

The increase in UV radiation will cause the death of plankton in the oceans and, therefore, reduce fish stocks. Also, ultraviolet light can have an adverse effect on plant growth, which will lead to the complete wilting of agriculture.

There is a solution

Seeing a world without an ozone layer, scientists have come to the conclusion that the destruction of stratospheric ozone can be stopped. There are alternative substances that will not harm the Earth's protective shield. These include carbon dioxide, non-toxic propane, ammonia, and isobutane (a natural refrigerant).

As ecologists note, the planet's ozone shield is already recovering by 1–3% per decade. With favorable projections, ozone holes could disappear across the planet by 2060. A NASA team suggests ozone recovery is linked to the Montreal Protocol.

In 2018, experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States discovered large emissions of ozone-depleting gas trichlorofluoromethane into the atmosphere.

It was found that the epicenter of the emissions is in East Asia, and later more than 18 manufacturing factories in China themselves admitted to unregistered use of freon.

Environmentalists believe that people themselves can affect the integrity of the ozone layer at the household level. The planet's ozone shield is also being attacked by greenhouse gases and air and land transport. The use of environmentally friendly fuels and the correct disposal of hazardous waste will play a significant role in saving the Earth.

It is worth starting to cleanse the environment from a small island - your apartment. Large amounts of dust, harmful fumes, toxic emissions and unpleasant odors enter our home through open windows. In this situation, it will help: thanks to a three-stage filtration system, the device prevents harmful substances, bacteria, allergens and viruses from entering the room from the street. The breather fights stuffiness in the apartment and creates all the conditions for a comfortable life and restful sleep.

Conclusion

The problem of the destruction of the planet's ozone layer is closely related to the threat of global warming. There is an assumption that the restoration of the ozone shell will slow down the melting of ice

The government and many large industrial corporations play a large role in how we use the Earth's resources. If the preservation of the environment becomes a priority for each of the states, it is possible that the destructive impact on our habitat will reach a minimum.

Introduction
1. Reasons for the destruction of the ozone layer
2. Negative effects of ozone depletion
3. Ways to solve the problem of ozone depletion
Conclusion
List of sources used

Introduction

Ozone, located at an altitude of about 25 km from the earth's surface, is in a state of dynamic equilibrium. It is a layer of increased concentration with a thickness of about 3 mm. Stratospheric ozone absorbs the hard ultraviolet radiation of the Sun and thus protects all life on Earth. Ozone also absorbs infrared radiation from the Earth and is one of the prerequisites for the preservation of life on our planet.

The XX century brought to mankind many benefits associated with the rapid development of scientific and technological progress, and at the same time put life on Earth on the brink of an ecological catastrophe. Population growth, intensification of production and emissions that pollute the Earth, lead to fundamental changes in nature and are reflected in the very existence of man. Some of these changes are extremely strong and so widespread that global environmental problems arise.

As a result of many external influences, the ozone layer begins to thin out in comparison with its natural state, and under certain conditions, over certain territories, it completely disappears - ozone holes appear, fraught with irreversible consequences. At first they were observed closer to the South Pole of the Earth, but recently they were also noticed over the Asian part of Russia. The weakening of the ozone layer increases the flow of solar radiation to the earth and causes an increase in the number of skin cancers and a number of other serious diseases in people. Plants and animals also suffer from the increased level of radiation.

Although mankind has taken various measures to restore the ozone layer (for example, under pressure from environmental organizations, many industrial enterprises went to additional costs to install various filters to reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere), this complex process will take several decades. First of all, this is due to the huge volume of substances already accumulated in the atmosphere, contributing to its destruction. Therefore, I believe that the problem of the ozone layer remains relevant in our time.

1. Reasons for the destruction of the ozone layer

In the 1970s, scientists suggested that free chlorine atoms catalyze the separation of ozone. And people annually replenish the atmosphere with free chlorine and other harmful substances. Moreover, a relatively small amount of them can cause significant damage to the ozone screen, and this influence will continue indefinitely, since chlorine atoms, for example, leave the stratosphere very slowly.

Most of the chlorine used on earth, for example, for water purification, is represented by its water-soluble ions. Consequently, they are not washed out of the atmosphere by precipitation long before entering the stratosphere. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are highly volatile and insoluble in water. Consequently, they are not washed out of the atmosphere and, continuing to spread in it, reach the stratosphere. There they can decompose, releasing atomic chlorine, which actually destroys ozone. Thus, CFCs wreak havoc by acting as carriers of chlorine atoms to the stratosphere.

Chlorofluorocarbons are relatively chemically inert, non-flammable and poisonous. Moreover, being gases at room temperature, they are burned at low pressure in the release of heat, and evaporating, again absorb it and cool down. These properties made it possible to use them for the following purposes.

1) Chlorofluorocarbons are used in almost all refrigerators, air conditioners and heat pumps as chlorinated agents. Because these devices break down and are thrown away sooner or later, the CFCs they contain usually end up in the atmosphere.

2) The second most important area of ​​their application is the production of porous plastics. CFCs are mixed into liquid plastics under high pressure (they are soluble in organic matter). When the pressure is released, they foam the plastic like carbon dioxide foams soda water. And at the same time they evaporate into the atmosphere.

3) The third main area of ​​their application is the electronics industry, namely the cleaning of computer microcircuits, which must be very thorough. Again, chlorofluorocarbons are released into the atmosphere. Finally, in most countries, except the United States, they are still used as carriers in aerosol cans that spray them into the air.

A number of industrial countries (for example, Japan) have already announced the abandonment of the use of long-lived freons and the transition to short-lived ones, the life of which is significantly less than a year. However, in developing countries, such a transition (requiring the renovation of a number of areas of industry and economy) encounters understandable difficulties, therefore, it is really unlikely that a complete cessation of the emission of long-lived freons in the foreseeable decades can be expected, which means that the problem of preserving the ozone layer will be very acute.

V.L.Syvorotkin developed an alternative hypothesis, according to which the ozone layer decreases for natural reasons. It is known that the cycle of ozone destruction by chlorine is not the only one. There are also nitrogen and hydrogen cycles of ozone destruction. It is hydrogen that is “the main gas of the Earth”. Its main reserves are concentrated in the core of the planet and enter the atmosphere through a system of deep faults (rifts). According to rough estimates, natural hydrogen is tens of thousands of times more than chlorine in man-made freons. However, the decisive factor in favor of the hydrogen hypothesis is VL Syvorotkin. believes that the centers of ozone anomalies are always located above the centers of hydrogen degassing of the Earth.

The destruction of ozone also occurs due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation, cosmic rays, nitrogen compounds, bromine. Human activities that deplete the ozone layer are of greatest concern. Therefore, many countries have signed an international agreement to reduce the production of ozone-depleting substances. However, the ozone layer is also destroyed by jet aircraft and some space rocket launches.

Many other reasons for the weakening of the ozone shield have been suggested. Firstly, it is the launch of space rockets. Combustible fuel "burns" big holes in the ozone layer. It was once assumed that these "holes" were closing. It turned out not. They have been around for a long time. Secondly, planes flying at altitudes of 12-15 km. The vapor and other substances they emit destroy ozone. But, at the same time, airplanes flying below 12 km give an increase in ozone. In cities, it is one of the constituents of photochemical smog. Third, nitrogen oxides. They are thrown out by the same planes, but most of them are released from the soil surface, especially during the decomposition of nitrogen fertilizers.

Steam plays a very important role in the destruction of ozone. This role is realized through the hydroxyl molecules OH, which are born from water molecules and finally turn into them. Therefore, the rate of ozone destruction depends on the amount of vapor in the stratosphere.

Thus, there are many reasons for the destruction of the ozone layer, and despite all its importance, most of them are the result of human activity.

2. Negative effects of ozone depletion

And at present, there is an inhibition of growth and a decrease in plant productivity in those regions where the thinning of the ozone layer is most pronounced, sunburn of foliage, death of tomato seedlings, sweet peppers, and cucumber diseases.

The number of phytoplankton, which forms the basis of the food pyramid of the World Ocean, is decreasing. In Chile, there have been cases of loss of vision by fish, sheep and rabbits, death of growth buds in trees, synthesis by algae of an unknown red pigment that causes poisoning of marine animals and humans, as well as “devil's bullets” - molecules that, at low concentrations in water, have a mutagenic effect on the genome, and at higher levels, the effect is similar to radiation injury. They are not biodegradable, neutralized, not destroyed by boiling - in a word, there is no protection against them.

In the surface layers of the soil, there is an acceleration of variability, a change in the composition and ratio between the communities of microorganisms living there.

In humans, immunity is suppressed, the number of cases of allergies is growing, there is an accelerated aging of tissues, especially the eyes, cataracts are more often formed, the incidence of skin cancer increases, and pigment formations on the skin become malignant. It has been noticed that staying on a sunny day on the beach for several hours often leads to these negative phenomena.

The destruction of the ozone layer, signaling, among other things, a decrease in its supply with oxygen, is proceeding very intensively and in 1995 reached 35% (over Siberia) and 15% (over Europe). In addition to the above-described changes in the spectrum and intensity of various radiation with their inherent biological effects, this entails a violation of the parameters of the planet's electromagnetic field, superimposed on the global and regional (for example, in the case of disasters such as the Chernobyl) increase in the power of ionizing radiation. With an increase in the frequency of oscillations of the magnetic field, a change in some functions of the brain is observed. The prerequisites are created for the emergence of neuroses, psychopathization of the personality, encephalopathy, inadequate response to the surrounding reality, up to epileptoid seizures of unexplained origin from the point of view of traditional ideas about their causes. The same is observed in the zone of passage of power transmission lines (PTL) of extra-high voltage.

These negative consequences will grow, since even if, according to the requirements of the Montreal Protocol of 1987, we switch to the use of substances that do not deplete ozone in refrigeration plants and aerosol packages, the action of the already accumulated freons will affect for many more years, and by the middle of the 21st century. the ozone layer will be thinned by another 10-16%. Calculations show that if the flow of freons into the atmosphere had stopped in 1995, then by 2000 the ozone concentration would have dropped by 10%, which would have caused damage to all living things for decades. If this does not happen, and this is exactly the case today, then by 2000 the ozone concentration will decrease by 20%. And this is already fraught with much more serious consequences.

Strictly speaking, this is exactly what is happening, because in 1996 not a single international decision was made to stop the production of freons. True, the requirements of the Vienna Convention of 1987 and the Montreal Protocol are not so easy to fulfill, especially since there is no effective control system for their implementation, industrial technologies for the production of propane-butane mixtures are not established, etc. under the Montreal Protocol, the signatory countries pledged to reduce the production of freons by 50% by 2000, then the London conference that followed in 1990 demanded a complete ban on their production by this date, and in 1992 in Copenhagen the wording of this resolution was tightened, and the closure of ozone-depleting industries should be carried out by 1996 under pain of various sanctions.

The situation is really critical, but most countries are not ready for this. Not to mention the member countries of the space club, whose rockets torment the ozone layer no less than chlorofluorocarbons. Space rockets do more than deplete ozone. They pollute the atmosphere with unburned and extremely toxic fuel (Cyclone, Proton, Shuttle, rockets of India, China) no less than ground vehicles, so it's time to introduce international quotas on their launches. In any case, the destruction of the ozone layer is currently going on at an unabated rate, and the concentration of ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere is increasing by 2% annually, although in the mid-1980s their growth rate was 4% per year.

3. Ways to solve the problem of ozone depletion

Awareness of the danger leads to the fact that the international community is taking more and more new steps to protect the ozone layer. Let's take a look at some of them.

1) Creation of various organizations for the protection of the ozone layer (UNEP, COSPAR, MAGA)

2) Conducting conferences.

a) Vienna Conference (September 1987). The Montreal Protocol was discussed and signed there:

- the need for constant monitoring of the manufacture, sale, and use of the most dangerous substances for ozone (freons, bromine-containing compounds, etc.)

- the use of chlorofluorocarbons in comparison with the level of 1986 should be reduced by 20% by 1993 and by half by 1998.

b) At the beginning of 1990. scientists came to the conclusion that the restrictions of the Montreal Protocol are insufficient and proposals were made to completely stop production and emissions into the atmosphere already in 1991-1992. those freons that are limited by the Montreal Protocol.

According to scientists' calculations, if it were not for the Montreal Protocol and measures were not taken to protect the ozone layer, the destruction of the ozone layer in 2050 in the northern part of the globe would have reached at least 50%, and in the south - 70%. Ultraviolet radiation reaching Earth would double in the north and quadruple in the south. The volume of ozone-depleting substances emitted into the atmosphere would increase by 5 times. Excessive ultraviolet radiation would cause more than 20 million cases of cancer, 130 million cases of eye cataracts, etc.

Today, under the influence of the Montreal Protocol, almost all technologies that use substances that deplete the ozone layer have found alternatives, and the production of these substances, their trade and their use is rapidly declining. For example, in 1986, the global consumption of chlorofluorocarbons was approximately 1,100,000 tons, while in 2001 the total was only 110,000 tons. As a result, the concentration of substances that deplete the ozone layer in the lower atmosphere decreases and it is expected that in the coming years it will begin to decrease in the upper atmosphere, including in the stratosphere (at an altitude of 10-50 km), where ozone layer. Scientists predict that if the measures taken today to protect the ozone layer are observed, then around 2060 the ozone layer may be renewed, and its "thickness" will be close to normal.

Also, the scientific community expresses concern about the destruction of the ozone layer of the Earth and demands a reduction in the use of chlorine chlorides as aerosol dispensers. At present, an international agreement has been adopted to reduce the production of aerosol cans containing fluorocarbons as propellants, since they have been found to have a bad effect on the ozone layer of the Earth.

Among them are signs on aerosol preparations, reflecting the absence of substances that lead to the destruction of the ozone layer around the Earth, signs on consumer goods (mainly on objects made of plastics and, more often, polyethylene), reflecting the possibility of their disposal with the least harm to the environment, etc. Separately, there is a special labeling of materials, in particular, packaging, within the framework of measures for waste management, which, in principle, is aimed at saving resources and protecting nature.

The problem of preserving the ozone layer is one of the global problems of mankind. Therefore, it is discussed in many forums of all levels, up to Russian-American summits.

It remains only to believe that a deep awareness of the danger threatening mankind will prompt the governments of all countries to take the necessary measures to reduce emissions of substances harmful to ozone.

Conclusion

The possibilities of human impact on nature are constantly growing and have already reached a level where it is possible to cause irreparable damage to the biosphere. This is not the first time that a substance that has long been considered completely harmless turns out to be in fact extremely dangerous. Twenty years ago, hardly anyone could have imagined that an ordinary aerosol can could pose a serious threat to the planet as a whole. Unfortunately, it is far from always possible to predict in time how a particular compound will affect the biosphere. It took a sufficiently serious demonstration of the danger of CFCs for serious action to be taken on a global scale. It should be noted that even after the discovery of the ozone hole, the ratification of the Montreal Convention was at one time under threat.

Understanding the interactions between ozone and climate change, and predicting the effects of change, requires tremendous computing power, reliable observations, and robust diagnostic capabilities. The capabilities of the science community have developed rapidly over the past decades, yet some of the fundamental mechanisms of how the atmosphere works are still not clear. The success of future research depends on an overall strategy, with real interactions between scientists' observations and mathematical models.

We need to know everything about the world that surrounds us. And, raising your leg for the next step, you should carefully look where you will step. Abyss and swampy swamps of fatal mistakes no longer forgive humanity for thoughtless life.

List of sources used

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2. Vladimirov A.M. and others. Environmental protection. St. Petersburg: Gidrometeoizdat 1991.
3. Skulachev V.P. Oxygen in a living cell: good and evil // Soros Educational Journal. 1996. No. 3. S. 4-16.
4. Fundamentals of environmental law. Textbook (Ed. By Candidate of Legal Sciences, Associate Professor IA Eremichev. - M .: Center for Legal Literature "Shield", 2005. - 118p.
5. Erofeev B.V. Environmental law: Textbook for universities. - M .: New Lawyer, 2003 .-- 668s.

Abstract on the topic "Destruction of the" ozone layer " updated: November 6, 2018 by the author: Scientific Articles.Ru

Ozone holes are formed not only over Antarctica, in winter they constantly exist over most of Europe, over Eastern Siberia. Long-term experimental studies of the ozone content over Europe showed that the root-mean-square deviation of the total ozone content reached 10-12% as early as 1957-1979. According to studies by a number of ozone specialists at the Central Aerological Observatory, natural geophysical processes make the most important contribution to the formation of long-term changes in the total ozone content in the Northern Hemisphere. Abnormally low values ​​of total ozone in 1992-1993 were caused by the powerful eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991. Recent studies show that volcanic eruptions are accompanied by significant release of fluorinated substances. Previously, it was believed that such substances can only be of anthropogenic origin. Geologists point to another possible natural mechanism of action on the ozone layer. A significant amount of hydrogen is dissolved in the core of the Earth, which enters the atmosphere. In the atmosphere, hydrogen, interacting with ozone, destroys it. Along with hydrogen, methane enters the atmosphere through rift faults, which also leads to the destruction of the ozone layer. [...]

Depletion of the ozone layer is associated with other global environmental problems. In particular, an increase in the intensity of ultraviolet irradiation of the Earth's surface can also affect the intensity of evolutionary processes. The mutagenic activity of UV radiation affects not only humans. All types of terrestrial plants and diurnal animals are exposed to it. The increase in the frequency of mutations does not pass unnoticed for the species that make up terrestrial ecosystems. For numerous species, an increase in the frequency of mutations can, at the cost of the death of individuals who have received lethal or eternal mutations, create additional opportunities for adaptation and reproduction of genetic lines that have received mutations that accidentally turned out to be positive. However, many species in the current situation are already on the verge of extinction or are reducing their numbers to a dangerous level. Since the vast majority of mutations disrupt the adaptation of species to their conditions of existence and thereby reduce survival, the likelihood of extinction for many species may increase. This will exacerbate the problem of biodiversity conservation. [...]

Destruction of the ozone layer. The ozone layer of the Earth protects all life on the planet from hard ultraviolet radiation. However, a number of substances released into the atmosphere as a result of human activity are capable of destroying the ozone layer by catalyzing ozone decomposition reactions. [...]

Destruction of the "ozone layer". Ozone layer (ozonosphere) - the layer of the atmosphere with the highest ozone concentration (03) at an altitude of 20-25 (22-24) km. The amount of ozone contained in the ozone layer is small: under the surface conditions of the atmosphere (at a pressure of 760 mm and a temperature of + 20 ° C) it would form a layer only 3 mm thick. In the atmosphere, ozone is formed from oxygen by ultraviolet radiation (Fig. 27). [...]

Depletion of the ozone layer is one of the factors causing global climate change on our planet. The consequences of this phenomenon, called the "greenhouse effect", are extremely difficult to predict. But scientists are worried about the possibility of changing the amount of precipitation, redistributing it between winter and summer, about the prospect of turning fertile regions into arid deserts, and an increase in the level of the World Ocean as a result of the melting of polar ice. [...]

With the destruction of the ozone layer, the intensity of ultraviolet radiation increases, which has a very different effect on people, animals, plants, materials: it can lead to a weakening of the body's immune system, cause serious eye damage (according to available data, the number of cataract diseases will increase by 0.6% with destruction of the ozone layer by 1%, as a result about 100 thousand people will go blind on the globe); a 1% decrease in total ozone is projected to increase the incidence of skin cancer by 3%. [...]

The model of the destruction of the ozone layer with a single start-up of PH "Energia" can be presented as follows. In a rocket track with a diameter of several hundred meters, ozone is completely destroyed at all altitudes almost instantly. Under the influence of macroturbulent diffusion, the ejected substances are mixed in a column with a diameter of several kilometers in a few hours. The ozone content in this column at altitudes of 16 ... 24 km decreases by 15 ... 20% after 2 hours, and then ozone is restored. In a week, a cloud of rocket emissions in the atmosphere reaches several hundred kilometers in diameter. The maximum destruction of ozone in the cloud occurs at altitudes of 24 ... 30 km approximately 24 days after the passage of PH. Ozone is formed simultaneously in the troposphere and ionosphere. Taking into account the compensating positive effect, the total ozone content in the launch area of ​​PH "Energia" (within a vertical column with a diameter of 550 km) will decrease in 24 days by 1.7%, or, in mass terms, by 27 thousand tons. 13.6, 13.7 provide data on the destruction of the ozone layer. [...]

Considerable attention is paid to the problems of the destruction of the ozone layer of the Earth. However, there are still no effective means of protecting the ozone layer from the effects of PH. It is proposed to compensate for the decrease in ozone concentration in the PH passage zone using specially designed ozonizers, either installed on board the PH, or placed in the atmosphere along the path of PH movement. [...]

The depletion of the ozone layer is caused by the ingress of chlorine and nitrogen oxides, which are mainly found in industrial and automobile emissions. In these processes, the first substance is most important. [...]

Preservation of the ozone layer is one of the global challenges of the world community. To prevent the destruction of the ozone layer, it is necessary to abandon chlorine-containing substances. In 1987, 34 countries signed the Montreal Protocol on Restrictions on the Production of Chlorinated and Fluorinated Hydrocarbons. This practice is expanding, and this area has a great future. Another direction is the creation of systems for generating ozone in the atmosphere, which is associated with serious costs. [...]

Scientists warned about the danger of ozone layer destruction in the early 50s and associated it with nitrogen oxides emitted by supersonic aircraft. But in 1974 it was found that "holes" in the ozone screen are formed as a result of exposure to artificial chemicals - fluorochlorocarbons (FCC). These gases are widely used in the perfumery industry, in the manufacture of refrigeration units, air conditioners and fire extinguishers. [...]

The natural cause of the destruction of the ozone layer due to the entry of atomic chlorine into the stratosphere is chloromethane (CH3C1) - a product of the vital activity of organisms in the ocean and forest fires on land. At the same time, it has been reliably established that as a result of human activity in the atmosphere, a significant excess of nitrogen and halogenated compounds has appeared. [...]

High-energy fluxes of protons contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer. Their interaction with the atmosphere leads to a decrease in the amount of ozone. [...]

Pollutants that cause the destruction of the ozone layer, which absorbs some of the sun's radiation falling on the Earth, are ozone-depleting substances of artificial origin. [...]

A number of states are involved in the study and suspension of the destruction of the ozone layer; more than 140 observatory stations operate. The program for saving the Earth's ozone layer is gradually reaching the level of national and international politics. First of all, the programs of multilateral cooperation in the field of environmental protection are promising. Modeling global processes in the environment is impossible without taking into account many factors associated with the technical development policy of individual states. Pollution knows no borders, its spread gradually covers all large territories, and only by combining the efforts of all states can we save the Earth - our common home. [...]

One of the global problems is the destruction of the Earth's ozone layer. Ozone is formed in the stratosphere from molecular oxygen by attaching atomic oxygen to it, which is formed under the influence of ultraviolet radiation from the Sun (as a result of photodissociation of molecular oxygen). Stratospheric ozone (ozone-nosphere) is located at altitudes from 10 to 45 km. The total ozone content in this layer is low: the thickness of the layer reduced to normal pressure is only about 3 mm. The ozone layer protects the Earth's surface (and all life on Earth from the hard ultraviolet radiation of the Sun. By absorbing this radiation, ozone significantly affects the temperature distribution in the upper atmosphere. The destruction of ozone molecules is highly dependent on the presence of various small constituents (oxides of nitrogen, hydrogen, chlorine, In their presence, photochemical reactions of ozone destruction are catalytic - the number of ozone destruction cycles in this case ranges from hundreds to millions. [...]

Rowland and Molina's warning about the impending destruction of the ozone layer with serious consequences for humanity, although it was noticed by both experts and politicians, did not cause solid, concerted action at the international level. Negotiations on the preparation of an international convention for the protection of the ozone layer, which was finally concluded in Vienna in 1985, were sluggish. The Vienna Convention was actually a declaration on the need for international cooperation in this area, and not an effective tool for solving the problem. [.. .]

The discussion, already under way since 1974, about the possibility of destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer prompted the consideration of the possibility of reducing the production of chlorofluorocarbons and drew attention to the discussion of the reliability of such predictions. At present, the harmful effect of freons on the atmosphere can be considered absolutely unambiguously established. However, all the requirements for the withdrawal of these substances from circulation are opposed by the difficulties of restructuring in a short time of chemical production. [...]

Recently, it has been suggested that methane is also involved in the destruction of the ozone layer. For a number of years, the concentration of methane in the atmosphere has been continuously increasing. No reliable theories about the chemistry of ozone destruction by methane have yet been proposed. [...]

Launching powerful rockets, flying aircraft in the high layers of the atmosphere, testing nuclear and thermonuclear weapons, destroying forests by fires and predatory felling, the massive use of freons in technology, household chemicals and perfumes are the main factors that destroy the Earth's ozone screen. Depletion of the ozone layer is accompanied by a number of dangerous and latent negative impacts on human hectares and wildlife. [...]

Depletion of the ozone layer, which is a protective shield from ultraviolet radiation, is also associated with anthropogenic changes in the atmosphere. Especially rapidly, the process of destruction of the ozone layer occurs over the poles of the gliders, where the so-called ozone holes have appeared. In 1987, an expanding year by year was recorded (the rate of expansion is 4% per year - the ozone hole over the Antarctic (extending beyond the contours of the continent) and a less significant similar formation in the Arctic (Fig. 13.3). [...]

It was found that ozone determines the temperature of the upper atmosphere and plays an essential role in the general circulation of atmospheric air. Depletion of the ozone layer can lead to an increase in ultraviolet radiation, causing a carcinogenic effect, and disruption of the process of plant photosynthesis. Sensational reports about the possibility of destruction of the natural ozone layer in the atmosphere under the influence of nuclear explosions and in connection with the intensive development of aviation and rocket technology stimulated the adoption of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer in 1985. [...]

The global risk for the entire living population of the planet is associated with the destruction of the ozone layer, climate change due to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and thermal radiation from large industrial and population centers, the destruction of forests (both tropical and northern) - a powerful source of oxygen and climate regulators of the planet. [ ...]

Among the global problems of modern ecology (greenhouse effect, destruction of the ozone layer, pollution of water and atmosphere, radioactive waste, etc.), acoustic pollution is one of the most alarming, since it affects people no less than, for example, the destruction of the ozone layer or acid rain. Apparently, every second person on the planet experiences adverse acoustic impact to one degree or another. The widespread introduction of new intensive technologies into the industry, the increase in the power and speed of equipment, the widespread use of numerous means of land, air and water transport, the widespread use of various electrified household equipment - all this led to the fact that a person at work, at home, on vacation, with movement, etc. is exposed to repeated exposure to harmful noise. [...]

On the one hand, methane enhances the harmful greenhouse effect, on the other hand, it saves the ozone layer from destruction. Now it is clear why ozone holes appear and disappear and constantly change size. It all depends on the climate. [...]

With the exception of indicators of global ecodynamic processes (warming, the problem of ozone layer depletion, etc.) and certain biological parameters (for example, the range of productivity of the trout population in the Great Lakes), other indicators do not have a clearly defined territorial reference. This is due to the contradiction between the property of such indicators as a control element, which requires application within the administrative boundaries provided by statistical data, and the multivariance of the indicated natural systems and processes. [...]

In 1992, the Montreal Protocol was adopted stating that mankind is concerned about the progress of the destruction of the ozone layer, and in 1996 F. Rowland, M. Mosina (USA) and P. Crutzen (Germany) received the Nobel Prize for the discovery of the destructive effect of freons on ozone layer.[ ...]

Preservation of biological diversity, prevention of global climate change, combating ozone layer destruction, protection of unique natural zones, exchange of environmental technologies and information and some other extremely important environmental problems for the safety of the biosphere are among the priority areas of international cooperation. Many countries of the world take part in their implementation, including Russia. [...]

Environmental pollution is one of the main causes of global warming and climate change, destruction of the ozone layer of the atmosphere, desertification and other processes occurring at the global and regional levels. In most cases, it plays the role of the main factor in the formation of an unfavorable environmental situation during technogenic accidents and disasters. [...]

At the same time, environmental pollution is largely the cause of global climate change and the emergence of a warming trend, destruction of the ozone layer of the atmosphere. Environmental pollution also plays a significant role in desertification and land degradation and the reduction of agricultural land. [...]

Such changes are accompanied by an increase in air pollution, the threat of depletion of its oxygen resources, a violation of the protective functions performed by the atmosphere, as a result of the destruction of the ozone layer; .increase in noise and harmful radiation, negative impact on the weather and climate. In these conditions, the most important task is to fully account for emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere and assess their impact on the environment. [...]

The amount of ozone in the atmosphere is small (2 10 6% by volume), but it plays an important role in protecting the earth's surface from the hard component of the ultraviolet part of the solar spectrum. The destruction of the ozone layer occurs as a result of ozone oxidation of various substances, including nitrogen oxides, formed during the combustion of fuel from aircraft and rockets. [...]

Recently, plants for the production of new types of refrigerants (hydrochlorofluorocarbons) with a low potential for depleting the ozone layer have been built in the United States and in a number of Western countries. [...]

It is planned to create a similar market for shares-permits for other types of typical pollutants. In particular, the UN has positively considered the issue of creating an international pollution market for emissions of chlorofluorocarbons, which, as you know, lead to the destruction of the Earth's ozone layer. [...]

Changing goals, indicators and criteria for economic development. The restructuring of the economy, which began under the pressure of the environmental crisis, must include the abandonment of those activities that make the main contribution to global warming, ozone depletion and other threats to human health and the environment. The characteristic features of a sustainable economy are the orientation towards renewable energy sources, the conservation and efficient use of all types of resources, the minimization of the amount of waste and hazardous materials produced, the maximization of the secondary use of resources and especially the qualitative development, rather than the quantitative growth of all sectors of the economy. The main goal is the stability of the economy, not its growth. [...]

The atmosphere, like other spheres of the Earth, is polluted with all the ensuing consequences, both natural (weathering, volcanoes) and anthropogenic pollutants (accidents of reactors, technology, mining, industry, energy, transport, everyday life). The consequences of atmospheric pollution include the destruction of the ozone layer (destruction of it by 50% increases ultraviolet radiation and 10 times the temperature). [...]

Ozone has a significant effect on atmospheric processes, especially the thermal regime. It is mainly concentrated in the stratosphere, where it causes the absorption of ultraviolet solar radiation. The average monthly values ​​of the total ozone content vary depending on the latitude and the season and amount to a layer thickness in the range of 2.3 - 5.2 mm at ground-based pressures and temperatures. There is an increase in ozone content from the equator to the poles and annual changes with a minimum in autumn and maximum in spring. At present, the destruction of the ozone layer under the influence of economic activity has been noted. The main destroyers of the ozone layer are freons (freons), which are a group of halogen-containing substances. Freons are inert at the Earth's surface, but rising into the stratosphere; they undergo photochemical decomposition, release a chlorine ion, which serves as a catalyst for chemical reactions that destroy ozone molecules. [...]

Risk is a quantitative measure of the hazard in relation to the likelihood that the associated damage or unwanted consequences will become a reality. Environmental risk is an assessment of the likelihood of negative changes in the environment caused by anthropogenic activity (development of the greenhouse effect, destruction of the ozone layer of the planet's screen, acid precipitation, radioactive pollution, unacceptable concentration of heavy metals, for example, in lakes or reservoirs of hydroelectric power plants, unacceptable change in the hydrological regime etc.) .[ ...]

For example, chlorofluorocarbons (freons) have a toxic effect on the human body, but at low doses the effect is not noticeable. At the same time, these gases are referred to as "greenhouse" gases, and when they accumulate in the atmosphere, such global changes as redistribution of precipitation or warming occur. The result of the presence of freons in the atmosphere is the destruction of the ozone layer and, as a consequence, an increase in the mutagenic effect of the sun's ultraviolet rays. Analysis of the entire chain of influence on the biota shows that even small concentrations of these substances lead to significant changes in the body. [...]

The atmosphere plays a huge role in all natural processes, first of all, it regulates the thermal regime and general climatic conditions, and also protects humanity from harmful cosmic radiation. The main gaseous components of the atmosphere are nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), argon (0.9%) and carbon dioxide (0.03%). The gas composition of the atmosphere changes with altitude. In the surface layer, due to anthropogenic influences, the amount of carbon dioxide increases and oxygen decreases. In some regions, as a result of economic activity, the amount of methane, nitrogen oxides and other gases in the atmosphere increases, causing such adverse effects as the greenhouse effect, ozone layer depletion, acid rain, and smog. And finally, air is a necessary condition for life on Earth. [...]

During further movement in the active phase of the flight along the trajectory, PH passes through the troposphere, stratosphere and the lower part of the ionosphere (thermosphere). In addition to the listed factors of anthropogenic impact on the environment at the launch site, there are specific, most significant factors affecting the atmosphere in the active phase of the flight: the formation of shock waves and shock waves during the movement of PH, which has reached transonic and supersonic speeds, and, as a consequence, gas-dynamic disturbance of the atmosphere; destruction of the ozone layer in the stratosphere; decrease in the concentration of charged particles in the ionosphere; falling of spent PH stages to the ground along the launch paths, etc. [...]

As a result of violent technogenic activity, rash attitude to the environment, uncontrolled scientific and technological progress, increased pressure on nature, predatory use of the Earth's natural resources, the emerging global environmental problems that make up the general environmental crisis are clearly visible: pollution of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere with harmful technogenic waste; climate change, first of all, its warming due to the "greenhouse effect", with the subsequent possibility of flooding of significant populated areas; destruction of the ozone layer in the atmosphere and the emergence of the danger of exposure to short-wave ultraviolet (UV) radiation, destructive to all life on Earth; depletion of material and natural resources; destruction of forests, formation of deserts; impoverishment of biological species of flora and fauna; the growth of the planet's population and its provision with food, housing, clothing; the spread of viral incidence among the regions; violation of the genetic integrity of landscapes; aesthetic and ethical aspects of environmental degradation; inconsistency between the restorative abilities of nature and man-made impacts, etc. [...]

By the nature of the impact, pollution is subdivided into primary and secondary. Primary pollution is the entry into the environment of directly pollutants formed in the course of natural natural-anthropogenic and purely anthropogenic processes. Secondary pollution is the formation (synthesis) of hazardous pollutants in the course of physicochemical processes taking place directly in the environment. So, from non-toxic components, under certain conditions, poisonous gases are formed - phosgene; Freons, chemically inert at the Earth's surface, enter into photochemical reactions in the stratosphere, producing chlorine ions, which serve as a catalyst for the destruction of the ozone layer (screen) of the planet. Certain reagents of such interaction may not be hazardous. [...]

At the global level, a number of international environmental problems have been resolved. A great success of the international community was the prohibition of nuclear weapons tests in all environments, except for so far underground tests. Agreements were reached on the global ban on whaling and legal interstate regulation of fishing and other seafood fishing. International Red Data Books have been established to preserve biodiversity. The world community is studying the Arctic and Antarctic as natural biosphere zones, not affected by human intervention, for comparison with the development of zones transformed by human activity. The international community adopted the Declaration on the Prohibition of the Production of Freon Refrigerants Contributing to the Depletion of the Ozone Layer (Montreal, 1972). [...]

The thermodynamic crisis causes climatic changes in the biosphere associated with the greenhouse effect arising from atmospheric pollution by greenhouse gases (see Section 9.1.1.1). The growing consumption of energy and the emission of greenhouse gases threatens the planet with a global environmental disaster. Sea levels may rise and coastal lands (such as those in northern Europe) and many large cities flooded. In addition, there are already local crisis climatic situations associated with the occurrence of tornadoes, tsunamis, sharp weather changes, floods - all this is the result of a violation of the thermodynamic regime of our planet. [...]

One of the main pollutants affecting air transparency is carbon dioxide. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere increases by 0.4% annually. It is estimated that the CO2 content in the atmosphere at today's level of technology will double every 23 years, which could lead to a global rise in temperature. Taking into account that when fuel is burned, 14.2-1016 kJ of heat enter the environment per year, it can be assumed that, dissipating in the near-earth space, this heat will lead to a significant change in its temperature regime. It should be noted that ozone plays an important role in the processes providing normal conditions for the development of ecosystems. Although the content of ozone in the atmosphere is small (2-10 6% by volume), nevertheless, its role in protecting the Earth's surface from hard ultraviolet radiation can hardly be overestimated. The destruction of the ozone layer by 50% will entail an increase in the dose of ultraviolet radiation by 10 times.

Earth is the only planet in the solar system that has life. The existence of living organisms is possible because the planet is protected from the deadly solar radiation by the ozone layer located in the stratosphere (10 - 50 km from the planetary surface). Ozone is a bluish gas whose molecule consists of three oxygen atoms. Its name in translation from Greek means "smelling". Indeed, after taking a deep breath of air, you can feel how the gas smells.

Without the ozone layer, the planet will literally burn up under the sun's ultraviolet exposure. However, humanity has never learned to be grateful for the opportunity to live on Earth. Ozone holes have always existed on the planet. They appear and disappear for natural reasons. However, as a result of anthropogenic activities, there is a dangerous expansion of areas of the atmosphere unprotected by ozone, which makes the Earth more and more exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

What are ozone holes?

Do not think that the ozone hole is a space in the atmosphere completely devoid of protective gas. In fact, ozone is present in this area, but in a lower concentration. It is easier for ultraviolet radiation to penetrate through such a section of the atmosphere to the earth's surface. Within the ozone hole, the concentration of blue gas can be as low as 30% of the norm.

Ozone hole over Antarctica

The first and largest ozone hole, reaching 1000 km in diameter, was discovered in 1985 over Antarctica. The concentration of gas in this space was below normal by 50%, and the greatest depletion of the ozone layer was noted at a distance of 15-20 km from the planetary surface.

The hole above the southern circumpolar region is characterized by seasonality of appearance and disappearance. A significant decrease in gas concentration is noted in late winter and early spring (in the southern hemisphere, it is August and September). This phenomenon is due to the peculiarities of the polar climate.

During the Antarctic winter, due to a decrease in air temperature, a vortex is formed. The air mass in the vortex circulates around the South Pole. Mixing with air masses of other latitudes is weak or absent altogether. During the polar winter, the planetary surface is devoid of sunlight, the formation of ozone is stopped. And the gas accumulated in summer is gradually destroyed, since the molecules of the substance are not stable. When the polar night ends, the Antarctic summer returns, the ozone concentration begins to increase slowly and reaches its maximum value by the end of the summer.

View from space

A similar seasonal hole, but not as large, is located above the Arctic Ocean. Smaller formations are being identified by researchers around the globe.

Causes of ozone depletion

The causes of ozone depletion are two types of factors:

• natural (natural processes that cause air pollution);
• anthropogenic (due to human influence).

The natural reason for the emergence of areas with a low concentration of ozone is the processes occurring in the polar regions of the planet. According to scientific theory, on polar nights, when ozone is not produced in the atmosphere due to the lack of solar radiation, chlorine clouds are formed. Chlorine, which is the basis of the cloud mass, has a destructive effect on the ozone remaining in the stratosphere.

The resulting hole is healed as soon as the polar day comes, solar ultraviolet light interacts with oxygen molecules. The resulting blue gas, a concentrated version of oxygen, rises into the stratospheric layer. This theory shows that the thinning and renewal of the ozone layer is a continuous natural process that has always existed.

Also affects the formation of ozone holes in the atmosphere. When volcanoes explode, combustion products are released into the air, which have a destructive effect on ozone molecules.

However, in recent decades, the depletion of the ozone layer has become alarming, due to anthropogenic impact. Ozone is an unstable gas. It is destroyed due to an increase in emissions of chlorine, bromine, hydrogen, freons and other chemical compounds that enter the atmosphere as a result of human activities that create a greenhouse effect.

The main sources of pollution of the atmospheric space:

• factories and factories not equipped or insufficiently equipped with treatment plants;
• mineral fertilizers applied to the cultivated land;
• jet aircraft;
• nuclear explosions.

During flights of jet air transport, nitrogen oxides are emitted into the air as a result of fuel combustion in turbines. Once in the stratosphere, they destroy blue gas molecules. Today, 1/3 of nitrogen oxide emissions are accounted for by air transport.

Nuclear tests were banned by the UN in 1996, but the environmental problem they cause still exists. A nuclear explosion produced a gigantic amount of nitrogen oxides that deplete the ozone layer. Over the 20 years during which nuclear tests were carried out, more than 3 million tons of nitrogen compounds have spread in the atmosphere.

Mineral fertilizers, getting into the soil and interacting with soil microorganisms, are also converted into nitrogen oxides through complex chemical reactions.

Consequences of ozone holes

A decrease in the ozone layer leads to an increase in the effect of solar radiation on the planet's surface. Solar radiation without an ozone shield is fatal to living organisms.

The main consequence of the destruction of the ozone layer of the Earth will be the extinction of all representatives of the animal and plant world. Already today, scientists note the massive death of marine planktonic species and deep-sea inhabitants due to the increased negative impact of ultraviolet radiation.

As for the effect on humans, an increase in solar radiation adversely affects the condition of the skin, causing an increase in the incidence of melanoma - skin cancer. If the amount of ultraviolet radiation entering the Earth increases, the incidence of other oncological pathologies will also increase. So, if the level of blue gas in the stratosphere decreases by another 1%, then the number of cancer patients will increase by 7 thousand per year.

Ways to solve the problem

Since the main culprit in the destruction of the planet's ozone layer is human activity, the normalization of the atmosphere requires the creation of new production and operation technologies aimed at significantly reducing and even eliminating emissions of freons and other harmful compounds.

To prevent the appearance of ozone holes, it is required:

• improvement of cleaning structures on factory pipes;
• reducing the use of mineral fertilizers;
• creation of vehicles that do not run on combustible fuel, but on electricity and other energy sources.

Such preventive measures have a positive effect, but, according to ecologists, measures to restore the ozone layer are much more effective. This refers to the spraying of artificially synthesized gas by special flying devices at an altitude of 10-30 km above the earth's surface. This method will allow you to quickly patch up gaps in the atmosphere, but it is not without its drawbacks. The first problem is the high cost of the event (it is economically feasible only with the joint participation of several states). The second problem is that the delivery of synthetic ozone to the spray site is difficult and dangerous for the carrier.

In 1985, the Vienna Convection for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was adopted. In 1987, the Montreal Protocol was created, which lists the most harmful volatile substances that appear in the air as a result of human activity. The participating countries have pledged to reduce emissions of these substances and eliminate them by the beginning of the 21st century.

The results of the international agreement are visible. The area of ​​ozone holes has decreased in different parts of the planet, including over Antarctica. The world community continues to seriously struggle with the problem: environmentally friendly vehicles are being created, technologies for industrial and agricultural production are being improved.