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Usually, when holes are spotted in ozone layers, it is often believed to be a result of climate change or global warming or increased use of certain chemicals or other factors. Fortunately, in the midst of this challenging time, scientists are proud to announce that the largest hole in the ozone layer over the Arctic region closed up.
Express reports that scientists discovered that through the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service or CAMS, the largest hole found in the ozone layer above the Arctic region had closed. Researchers previously predicted this outcome to happen in a matter of weeks since it was first tracked back on April 6th, as the hole in the ozone layer of the icy region was believed to be caused by unusually low temperatures coming from the North pole.
The region below faced a strong polar vortex that eventually split, bringing in ozone-rich air into the Arctic. However, researchers have also noted that another reason for the recovery of this ozone layer is not because of a lack of human activity due to the coronavirus pandemic. This follows evidence of significantly improved air quality in several areas in the world.
According to CAMS via Twitter, “Covid-19 and the associated lockdowns probably had nothing to do with this. It’s been driven by an unusually strong and long-lived polar vortex, and isn’t related to air quality changes.”
This is not the first time scientists have seen an improvement in the ozone layer as of late. Several weeks back, scientists have reported that the ozone layer in Antarctica is steadily improving to the extent that it is helping fight the dangers of climate change. Because the ozone layer is recovering, this would result in the jet streams or high altitude air currents to move upwards even more, according to the simulations researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder conducted.
According to Ian Rae of the University of Melbourne, “The ‘weather bands’ that bring our cold fronts have been narrowing towards the south pole, and that’s why southern Australia has experienced decreasing rainfall over the last thirty years or so. If the ozone layer is recovering, and the circulation is moving north, that’s good news on two fronts.”
