A new method can evaluate the recovery of the ozone layer

UK scientists have developed a new method to assess the effects of substances that threaten the recovery of the ozone layer.

This was stated in an article published this Wednesday (24) in the magazine nature, This technique is called the Integrated Ozone Depletion (IOD) measure, and it represents a useful tool for policy makers and environmental researchers.

According to its creators, the IOD method is designed to provide a simple way to measure the effects of unregulated emissions of substances that deplete the ozone layer and evaluate the effectiveness of measures to protect this region of the stratosphere.

The ozone layer, also called the ozone layer, acts as an important protective barrier against most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.

Ozone-depleting gases, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), have been phased out under the Montreal Protocol – an international treaty to protect the ozone layer. However, illegal violations have challenged its effectiveness.

To indicate the impact of any new emissions on the ozone layer, the institute takes into account three factors: the strength of the emission, how long it remains in the atmosphere, and how much ozone it chemically destroys.

The team used a computational model of the chemistry of Earth's atmosphere

This new technology was developed by researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Cambridge and the National Center for Earth Observation at the University of Leeds.

“After the Montreal Protocol, we are now in a new phase – assessing the recovery of the ozone layer,” said John Pyle, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, lead author of the study and one of the scientists who helped create the Montreal Protocol. Montreal. “This new phase requires new metrics, such as integrated ozone depletion, which we call IOD. Our new metric can measure the impact of emissions regardless of their size.

He explains that his team used a computational model of atmospheric chemistry and was able to demonstrate a simple linear relationship between IOD, the volume of emissions, and the useful life of chemicals. “So, knowing the shelf life of chemicals, it is easy to calculate the IOD, making this an excellent measure for both science and policy,” Pyle said.

According to the scientist, “The IOD will be very useful for monitoring ozone recovery and is particularly relevant for regulators who need to phase out substances that have the potential to chemically destroy ozone.”

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According to the site PhysThe atmospheric computational matrix used by scientists, called the United Kingdom Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol (UKCA) model, was developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Science in collaboration with the Met Office's UK Meteorological Agency to calculate future projections for important chemicals, such as ozone. In the atmosphere. Stratosphere.

“In the UKCA model, we can conduct experiments on different types and concentrations of CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances,” said study co-author Luke Abraham, Ph.D., physicist and professor at the University of Cambridge. “We can estimate how chemicals in the atmosphere will change in the future and assess their impact on the ozone layer over the next century.”

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