Depletion of the ozone layer contributes to the occurrence. The ozone layer of the Earth was pierced by ozone holes: is humanity threatened by a global catastrophe? Why ozone is destroyed

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, cases of loss of vision by fish, sheep and rabbits have been reported, the death of growth buds in trees, the synthesis of an unknown red pigment by algae, causing poisoning of marine animals and humans, as well as "devil bullets" - molecules that at low concentrations in water have a mutagenic effect on the genome, and at higher levels - an effect 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 being 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. Preconditions 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 lines (LEP) 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 XXI century. ozone layer will become thinner 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 what it is 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 1987 Vienna Convention 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. To this it must be added that if 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 destroy 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.

And the whole picture is obtained, described in the Revelation of St. John the Theologian: "The fourth Angel poured out his bowl on the sun and it was given to him to burn people with fire. And he burned people with intense heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues, and did not understand to give Him glory. "

Used Books :

1) http://www.godmol.ru

The site is an educational portal.

2) http://www.ecoproblems.org

A site dedicated to environmental problems.

3) http://allformgsu.ru

Learning portal for students.

Living organisms on Earth are protected from short-wave ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun, which is harmful to all living things, by an ozone shield (ozone layer).

Ozone screen - This is the air layer in the upper atmosphere (stratosphere), consisting of a special form of oxygen - ozone (Fig. 1).

The thickness of the ozone layer on the atmospheric scale is no more than a sheet of paper in the volume of a home library.

Ozone has significant ecological and biological significance and is the most important component of the atmosphere, despite the fact that its percentage is low - less than 0.0001%. This is due to the fact that it is ozone that actively absorbs UV radiation.

Ozone - a form of molecular oxygen (0 3). Its main amount is concentrated in the stratosphere at an altitude of 15-25 km (the upper limit is 45-50 km). Paradoxically, the same ozone molecules in the troposphere (the lower atmosphere) are dangerous elements that destroy living tissue, including human lungs. However, there is very little ozone, and it is formed only during lightning discharges.

The onset of ozone formation in the stratosphere is associated with the splitting reaction of molecular oxygen by shortwave (X< 242 нм) УФ-излучением Солнца:

0 2 + hv -\u003e O + O

Figure: 1. Ozone screen: a - ozone (0 3) in the stratosphere absorbs UV rays from the Sun; b - ozone is formed in the stratosphere when, under the action of UV rays, O 2 molecules disintegrate into free atoms capable of attaching to its other molecules

O + O 2 + m -\u003e O 3 + M

In 1985, atmospheric researchers from the British Antarctic Survey reported an unexpected fact: the spring ozone content in the atmosphere over Halley Bay in Antarctica decreased by 40% from 1977 to 1984! Soon this conclusion was confirmed by other researchers, who also showed that the region of low ozone content extends beyond Antarctica and covers a layer from 12 to 24 km in height, i.e. a significant part of the lower stratosphere. In fact, this means that there is an ozone "hole" in the polar atmosphere. In the early 80s. XX century the satellite "Nimbus-7" discovered a similar hole in the Arctic, however, it covered a much smaller area and the drop in the ozone level in it was not so great - about 9%. On average, from 1979 to 1990, the ozone content decreased by 5%.

So what is the ozone layer in the atmosphere? Theoretically, if all ozone was "compressed" to the density of water and placed on the Earth's surface, then it would form a film only 2-4 mm thick, with the minimum at the equator, and the maximum at the poles. The altitudinal distribution of ozone is such that the maximum concentration is observed at an altitude of 25 km. But it also rises at an altitude of 70 km. Most of the ozone is found in the stratosphere, and this layer is usually low in the Arctic while high in the tropics. As for the troposphere, there is less ozone, moreover, it is more susceptible to both seasonal and other changes, in particular, caused by pollution.

Thinning of the ozone layer can lead to serious consequences for humanity. A decrease in ozone concentration by 1% causes an increase in the intensity of hard ultraviolet radiation near the Earth's surface by an average of 2%. In its effect on living organisms, hard ultraviolet light is close to ionizing radiation, however, due to its longer wavelength than that of y-radiation, it is not able to penetrate deep into tissues, therefore, it affects only superficial organs. Hard UV light has enough energy to destroy DNA and other organic molecules.

Hard ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer in humans, in particular rapid malignant chalkoma, as well as cataracts and immune deficiency, not to mention the usual burns of the skin and cornea. They harm animals and plants, in particular marine ecosystems, as they are poorly absorbed by water.

For the first time, the idea of \u200b\u200bthe danger of ozone layer destruction was expressed in the late 1960s. Environmentalists were deeply concerned about negative influence water vapor and nitrogen oxides (NO x), which are emitted by jet engines of supersonic aircraft and rockets at an altitude of 20-25 km. It is at this height that a protective layer of ozone is located, which traps the hard ultraviolet radiation of space. Such concerns are based on the ozone-depleting properties of nitric oxide:

2NO + 0 3 \u003d N 2 0 +20 2

In 1974, scientists discovered that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) could cause the destruction of the ozone shield (Fig. 2). Since that time, the so-called "chlorofluorocarbon problem" has become one of the main in the research on atmospheric pollution. Chlorofluorocarbons include, in particular, freons, which are chemically inert substances on the Earth's surface. They have been used for more than 60 years as refrigerants in refrigerators and air conditioners, propellants for aerosol mixtures (in household aerosol cans), yen-forming agents in fire extinguishers, cleaners for electronic devices, in dry cleaning of clothes, in the production of foam plastics.

Almost all of the freon (or organofluorine) produced in the world eventually rises to the upper atmosphere and decomposes there under the influence of ultraviolet rays, which destroy the normally stable CFC molecules. The latter decompose into highly reactive components, in particular atomic chlorine. During the photochemical decomposition of freon in the stratosphere, the chlorine ion acts as an agent for ozone destruction. Thus, CFCs transport chlorine from the Earth's surface through the troposphere and the lower atmosphere, where less inert chlorine compounds are destroyed, into the stratosphere, to the layer with the highest ozone concentration. Fragments of freon molecules have a destructive effect on the atmospheric ozone layer. CFCs have already destroyed 3 to 5% of the ozone layer in the atmosphere.

Figure: 2. Scheme of destruction of the ozone screen

It is very important that when ozone is destroyed, chlorine acts like a catalyst: during the chemical process, its amount does not decrease. As a consequence, one chlorine atom can destroy up to 100,000 ozone molecules before it is deactivated or returned to the troposphere. Currently, CFC emissions into the atmosphere are estimated at millions of tons, but it should be noted that even if the production and use of CFCs is completely stopped, it will not be possible to achieve an immediate result: the effect of CFCs that have already entered the atmosphere will continue for several more decades.

A good substitute for CFCs, a propane-butane mixture, has already been found for use as a propellant in aerosols. In terms of physical parameters, it is practically not inferior to freons, but, unlike them, it is flammable. Nevertheless, such aerosols are already produced in many countries, including Russia. The situation is more complicated with refrigeration units - the second largest consumers of freons. The fact is that, due to the polarity, the CFC molecules have a high heat of vaporization, which is very important for the working fluid in refrigerators and air conditioners. The best known substitute for freons today is ammonia, but it is toxic and yet inferior to CFCs in physical parameters. Good results were obtained for fully fluorinated hydrocarbons. In many countries, new substitutes are being developed, but this problem has not yet been fully resolved.

A decrease in the density of the planet's ozone shield entails a decrease in crop yields and livestock productivity, a sharp decrease in the biological productivity of the near-surface layer of the World Ocean, and, consequently, fish catches, a significant increase in the incidence of skin cancer. It is clear that without knowledge of general environmental laws, further progress of mankind and the progressive development of the economy are impossible.

Depletion of the ozone layer

It is located in the atmosphere between 15 and 40 km above the Earth's surface. This layer acts as a shield for lethal ultraviolet radiation, attenuating it by about 6500 times. In the atmosphere, ozone is formed from oxygen under the action of electrical discharges and cosmic radiation (Fig. 3).

Depletion of the ozone layer by 50% would increase UV radiation by 10 times, which would affect the vision of humans and animals and could have other harmful effects on living organisms.

The disappearance of the ozone layer would lead to unpredictable consequences - outbreaks of skin cancer, destruction of plankton in the ocean, mutations of flora and fauna.

For the first time, the appearance of an ozone "hole" over Antarctica was recorded in the 1970s. As shown by measurements from satellites, ozone in this "hole" was 30-50% less than normal. A similar phenomenon is observed in Antarctica in the fall, while at other times of the year the ozone content fluctuates around normal. Later it turned out that the thickness of the ozone layer also changes in the middle and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, especially over Europe, the USA, The Pacific Ocean, European Russia, Japan and Eastern Siberia. The reasons for the destruction of the ozone layer could be: supersonic aircraft, the launch of spaceships, large-scale production of freons.

Figure: 3. Mechanisms of the formation of the ozone layer (bottom) and its role in the atmosphere (top)

Based on scientific research, it was found that the main cause is freons, which are widely used in refrigeration technology and in aerosol cans.

Several measures have been taken by the international community to prevent the depletion of the ozone layer. In 1977, the United Nations Environment Program adopted an action plan for the ozone layer, and in 1985 Vienna hosted a conference that adopted the Convection for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. A list of substances that adversely affect the ozone layer was established, and a decision was made on mutual information of states about the production and use of these substances and about the measures taken.

Thus, the harmful effects of changes in the ozone layer on human health and the environment were officially declared, and that measures to protect the ozone layer require international cooperation.

Decisive was the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987, in accordance with which control over the production and use of freons was established. The protocol was signed by most countries of the world, including Russia. Under these agreements, the production of freons should have been terminated by 2010. However, the agreement has not been fully implemented by 2011 either. The ozone hole over the Arctic in 2011, according to the latest data, is 2 million km 2. But it is not completely clear; Is it only due to anthropogenic factors that it appears!

We all live on earth under the rays of the warm sun, but do we all know about the effects of these rays on the human body?

All life on Earth directly depends on the energy of the Sun. It is the ultraviolet that is the source of this priceless energy. However, the effect of ultraviolet radiation on living organisms often leads to inevitable disruption of the structures of nucleic acids and proteins, and, as a consequence, leads to cell death.

Nature itself has created a reliable protection - the Earth, which serves as a barrier for harmful In the air, at an altitude of 20-50 km contains a huge amount of ozone, which creates a kind of shield that protects the entire biosphere and humanity.

The human body is able to defend itself by synthesizing a dark pigment (melanin), which we call nothing other than tanning. But at the same time, in the spring, when the skin contains a small amount of melanin, a person cannot stay in the sun for a long time: the skin can quickly turn red, and after a few hours the general body temperature may rise and a headache may appear.

Everyone has long known that scientists observe the methodical destruction of the ozone layer. In the atmosphere, the ozone content has significantly decreased, moreover, the so-called "hole" was discovered, which is located above Antarctica. Unfortunately, the area of \u200b\u200bthis hole is increasing every year, and today its area is larger than Antarctica itself.

The depletion of the ozone layer does not go unnoticed for mankind, for example, in countries that are in close proximity to the mainland, an increase in diseases is observed. These are mainly diseases associated with an increased UV background, such as cataracts, skin cancer, etc.

Contributes to the destruction of our "shield" and military activities. The engines of ballistic missiles, which are used by the military, emit a huge amount of harmful into the atmosphere. Each launch of one such rocket into space creates a huge "hole" in the ozone layer. After only a few hours, such a "hole" is healed.

Back in the 70s, over a distant and deserted island, the American military scattered chemicals in the stratosphere that contributed to the formation of a "hole" that only lasted many hours later. The destruction of the ozone layer over the island led to the fact that a significant part of the terrestrial inhabitants of the island was simply destroyed. Animals, plants, microorganisms - all died. Only a few large turtles were able to survive, which survived thanks to the thick bone shell. However, these turtles were blinded because the retinas of their eyes were burned by ultraviolet light.

The ozone layer, despite its great importance for all living things, is a very fragile obstacle to the path of ultraviolet rays. Its integrity depends on a number of conditions, but nature nevertheless came to equilibrium in this matter, and for many millions of years the ozone layer of the Earth successfully coped with the mission entrusted to it. The processes of formation and destruction of the ozone layer were strictly balanced ...

• ... Until a man appeared on the planet and in his development he reached the current technical level.

In the 70s. In the twentieth century, it was proved that many substances actively used by humans in economic activities can significantly reduce the level of ozone in the Earth's atmosphere.

Substances that deplete the ozone layer of the Earth include fluorochlorocarbons - freons (gases used in aerosols and refrigerators, consisting of chlorine, fluorine and carbon atoms), combustion products during high-altitude aviation flights and rocket launches, i.e. substances whose molecules contain chlorine or bromine.

These substances, released into the atmosphere near the Earth's surface, reach the upper limit of the ozone layer in 10-20 years. There, under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, they decay, forming chlorine and bromine, which, in turn, interacting with stratospheric ozone, significantly reduce its amount.

• For example, one chlorine atom during its entire existence (74 - 111 years) can break up to 100,000 ozone molecules.

Thus, the share of the halogen pathway of the decay of stratospheric ozone presented in Table 1 increased, which led to the ozone holes - local drops in ozone concentration in the ozone layer of the Earth.

Table 1. The share of different chemical families in ozone destruction at different altitudes:

Note: Dear visitors, hyphens in long words in the table are for the convenience of mobile users - otherwise the words will not wrap and the table will not fit on the screen. Thank you for understanding!

Causes of destruction and depletion of the ozone layer of the Earth.

Let us consider again in more detail the causes of the destruction of the Earth's ozone layer. At the same time, we will not consider the natural decay of ozone molecules; we will focus on human economic activity.

The first reason for the destruction of the Earth's ozone layer —

the coming era of active space exploration, namely the launch of space rockets. The substances that make up the outflowing jet stream (due to which the rocket moves), intensively destroy ozone. Thus, a large "hole" appears in the ozone layer at the launch site of the launch vehicle, which, as it turned out, heals for a very long time. And every year there are more and more such "holes drilled in the atmosphere". Which inevitably leads to the depletion of the Earth's ozone layer.

The second reason for the destruction of the Earth's ozone layer —

intensive development of high-altitude aviation (aircraft flying at an altitude of over 12 km). The combustion products of these machines also destroy ozone molecules, depleting the Earth's ozone layer. Ozone-active components of exhaust gases are nitrogen oxides and, to a lesser extent, carbon monoxide. Scientists have analyzed ways to reduce nitrogen oxide in the combustion products of jet fuel. However, to date, research results are disappointing. Reducing nitrogen oxide, which destroys stratospheric ozone, is impossible either by upgrading existing engines, or by switching to "environmentally friendly" types of fuel (liquefied natural gas and liquefied or compressed hydrogen). Reducing the emission of substances that deplete the Earth's ozone layer will be possible only with the creation of fundamentally new engines. But this is still far away ...

The third reason for the destruction of the Earth's ozone layer is

application in agriculture of nitrogen fertilizers. As they decompose, they release nitrogen oxides, which rise into the stratosphere and ... destroy ozone molecules, causing the depletion of the Earth's ozone layer, of course.

The fourth reason for the destruction of the Earth's ozone layer —

widespread use of freons in human economic activity (as sprayers in the refrigeration industry). At the surface of the earth, these gases are practically harmless, since they do not enter into any chemical reactions. But, once in the stratosphere, freons under the influence of solar radiation enter into photochemical reactions, releasing atomic chlorine. And one chlorine atom, as already mentioned above, during its long life is capable of destroying up to one hundred thousand ozone molecules. Here is such a warrior in the field. And the amount of freons in the atmosphere is growing from year to year, increasing by about 8-9% annually.

We examined the causes of the destruction of the Earth's ozone layer. To summarize sadly: human activities are destroying the planet. It's time to move on to the next paragraph of this article. What threatens us with the depletion of the Earth's ozone layer?

The consequences of destruction and depletion of the ozone layer of the Earth.

The destruction of the ozone layer increases the flow of solar radiation to the Earth.

According to doctors, every percentage of ozone lost on a planetary scale causes:

• up to 150 thousand additional cases of blindness due to cataracts,
• the number of skin cancers increases by 2.6 percent,
• the number of diseases caused by a weakening of the human immune system is significantly increasing.

But it's not just people who suffer. Ultraviolet radiation is also extremely harmful to plankton, fry, shrimp, crabs, ocean surface algae and other organisms in the biosphere.

You can read more about the significance of the ozone layer of the Earth and the effect of ultraviolet radiation on the human body and other living organisms on our planet.

Every student knows that the solar ultraviolet ray is the source of life on Earth. However, excess UV radiation can be detrimental to all inhabitants of the planet.

The balance between the benefits and harms of ultraviolet radiation is possible exclusively due to the ozone layer of the Earth, which is located in its stratosphere at an altitude of 12-50 km. Its densest layer is located at an altitude of 25 km. Due to the complex structure of the fifth ocean, a dosed amount of UV radiation penetrates the earth. The thickness of the ozone layer in the total volume of the atmosphere is negligible, but its biological and ecological role is invaluable.

How is ozone formed?

Ozone is a derivative of oxygen. Being in the stratosphere, the molecule of the latter falls under chemical attack UV rays and breaks down into free atoms. They, in turn, have the ability to form a compound with other molecules. This interaction of oxygen atoms and molecules in the presence of a third body leads to the emergence of a new substance - ozone.

Being in the stratosphere, it stands guard over the thermal regime of the Earth and the health of its inhabitants, absorbing excess ultraviolet light. Getting into the atmosphere of the lower layers in large quantities, it is harmful to human tissues and respiratory tract. However, this gas can be formed in the troposphere mainly with the help of lightning discharges, which is not so often.

Unpleasant discovery

Depletion of the ozone layer became a topic of discussion among scientists around the world in the late 60s. Then environmentalists began to raise the problem of the eruption of combustion products in the form of water vapor and nitrogen oxides by jet engines of rockets and airplanes.

The ability of nitric oxide, which is emitted by air transport at an altitude of 25 km, just in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Earth's shield, to destroy ozone, was alarming. In 1985, the British Antarctic Survey recorded a 40% decrease in the content of this gas in the atmospheric layers over a station called Halley Bay. These figures were published by ecologists based on years of research carried out from 1977 to 1984.

Following British scientists, this problem was highlighted by a group of researchers from other countries. They have outlined a zone of low ozone content already in a larger part of the stratosphere, beyond the borders of Antarctica. In connection with these events, the problem of ozone "holes" began to rise. Why "holes"? Because soon another one was identified by an Earth satellite already in the Arctic zone. However, it was smaller in size, and the ozone leak was only about 9%.

Later it turned out that the hole could change its location. So, studying the atmosphere over Australia, the researchers noticed the permanent occurrence of the ozone hole, causing an outbreak of such oncological disease as skin cancer during its appearance. In general, it is generally accepted that from 1979 to 1990. the content of this gas in the Earth's atmosphere has decreased by about 5%.

To better imagine the ozone shield, it is usually mentally compressed to the density of water and covering the ground with it. The thickness of the cover is 3-4 mm, its maximum falls on the poles, and the minimum on the equator. The largest concentration of gas falls on the 25th kilometer of the stratosphere. This area is located above the Arctic. A dense layer is also found sometimes at an altitude of 70 km, usually in the tropics. The troposphere does not have a large amount of ozone, as it is more susceptible to seasonal changes and various pollution. As soon as the concentration decreases by one percent, the intensity of aggressive ultraviolet radiation near the earth's surface increases by exactly two percent. The effect of hard ultraviolet radiation on the organic matter of the planet can be compared to ionizing radiation. Exposure to UV differs only in a longer wavelength, which means a lesser depth of penetration and damage to living tissues.

The depletion of the ozone layer can create disasters associated with excessive heating, increased wind speed and circulation of air masses, which usually lead to the formation of new desert areas and lower agricultural yields.

Ozone enemies

The gas that shields our planet is destroyed because it is damaged by substances such as chlorofluorocarbons - freons, nitrogen oxides, aluminum oxides.

All this, sadly enough, is the result of technical progress. It becomes obvious that the culprit of ozone layer damage is humans and their activities on earth... There are at least three reasons for the occurrence of anthropogenic ozone holes:

• Emission of chlorofluorocarbons into the air during the production and use of household appliances, chemical products and cosmetics.
• Release of exhaust gases into the stratosphere by superliners and launch vehicles.
• Flying at altitude is harmful to ozone.

It is hard to imagine modern life without refrigerators, air conditioners, fire extinguishers, solvents and cleaners, without cosmetics in the form of fragrant deodorants in aerosol cans. However, all these benefits of civilization contain substances called "freons", which cause the thinning and rupture of the ozone layer of the Earth.

Scientists at the University of California in 1974 put forward a hypothesis that soon became a scientific fact. In their opinion, chlorofluorocarbon is the main destructor of the ozone layer. In 1996, the theory was confirmed. This research work was noted Nobel Prize... The problem of ozone destruction is also dangerous because freons, entering the atmosphere, for a very long time, for decades, interact with ultraviolet light, releasing free chlorine during decay, which destroys ozone molecules. A 1995 Greenpeace report drew public attention to the fact that ozone depletion is a consequence of the functioning of 3 advanced economies in the world. Ozone holes are 31% created by industry in the US, 12% in Japan and 9% in the UK.

Conquest and study outer space became a challenge for humanity and an engine for progress. Today puts on one side of the scales the benefits and harms that civilization can get by continuing to explore the unknown and, at the same time, creating a problem for the existence of life on their home planet in the form of emissions of harmful gases that destroy the protection in the atmosphere. During one flight, the Space Shuttle, releasing more than a hundred tons of chlorine and its compounds, is capable of destroying 10 million tons of ozone. Three hundred launches can completely destroy the entire ozone layer. However, it should be noted that not all rocket systems are equally dangerous to the integrity of the Earth's atmosphere.

Measures to protect and restore the ozone layer

The transformation of the planet's climate, loss of productivity in agriculture and productivity in the field of animal husbandry, irreversible changes on the surface and a decrease in the species diversity of the World Ocean, a decrease in human immunity and the spread of cancer - these may be the consequences of the destruction of the ozone layer, i.e. excessive hard ultraviolet radiation,

As a result of the confirmation of the fact that each chlorine atom is killing for 100 thousand ozone molecules, protests and protests of active environmentalists against the use of aerosol cans that emit chlorofluorocarbons began.

This led to the fact that in 1978 their production was finally banned. Scientists began looking for a replacement for CFCs as soon as their ability to decay into chlorine atoms in the stratosphere and destructively affect ozone was experimentally proved. For filling aerosols, an alternative to freon has already been found in the form of a propane-butane mixture. It is not inferior in quality to CFCs, therefore it is used in the chemical and cosmetic industries in many countries.

It turned out to be more difficult to identify substances for replacing freon in refrigeration units, although this problem is gradually finding its solution. One of them is ammonia, despite the fact that it is inferior to CFCs in physical terms.

After the official statement about the undesirable consequences for the life of the planet due to the destruction of the ozone layer, it became clear that this problem should be dealt with seriously and international cooperation cannot be avoided. 1977 will be remembered for the United Nations program on environmental protection. A plan of action to restore the ozone layer has emerged. A list has been compiled, which lists aggressive substances that should be avoided in production and measures to reduce their use.

In 1987, a protocol was signed in Montreal, according to which they established control over the use and production of freons, which was supposed to be completed by 2010. And although the release of CFCs such as R12 freon still ceased by 2010, this substance is still capable of entering and retaining its harmful activity in the stratosphere for a hundred years. The maximum concentration of chlorine in the atmosphere was recorded in 1993. Over the course of all subsequent years, its content dropped to 15%. By 1997, the ozone content in the stratosphere was gradually increasing.

The world community is consistently fighting for the ozone layer. Thus, in 2007, all signatories to the Montreal Protocol voted to accelerate the elimination of CFCs from circulation, reduce the production and use of chlorofluorocarbons by 2015 by 90%.

It is still premature to talk about the complete restoration of the ozone layer. However, provided that countries around the world participate in the elimination of this problem, the prospects for its solution become foreseeable in the near future.