STRATOSPHERE

• Second Major Strata

• Thermodynamically Stable

Significance
 Aircraft Flying Zone
 Stratospheric Ozone-The Protector
Temperature profile……..
Constituents of Stratosphere

 Inorganic Compounds
 85-90% of total
Ozone
 Nitrous Oxide
 Methane
 Chlorofluorocarbons
CFCs
 Halogens & Halogen
Oxides

 Volcanic Eruptions
 Stratospheric Clouds

Source: Central Sweden January14,2003

Stratospheric Ozone, the Protector

UV-B 280-315 nm
UV-A 315-400 nm
VERTICAL VARIATION OF OZONE
 Ozone Depleting Substances

• CFC - Refrigerants, Aerosol sprays, Solvents and Foam-

blowing agents
• Nitrogen Oxides – Supersonic Aircrafts
• Halogen Compounds - Fire fighters used
bromine containing halogens to put out fires.
• Hydrogen – Hydrogen Fuel Cells
CFC AND OZONE
 Impacts of Ozone Depletion
Human Health
• Skin cancer
• Melanoma
• Cataracts
• Immune system function
• Increased incidence,
severity and duration of
infectious diseases
• Reduced efficacy of
vaccinations
Ecological Health
• Biodiversity is effected
• Aquatic organisms
adversely impacted
• Decreased biomass
productivity
• Polar systems especially
vulnerable
Ozone Hole :

• The ozone "hole" is a

reduction in
concentrations of ozone
high above the earth in
the stratosphere.

• The ozone hole is defined

geographically as the
area wherein the total
ozone amount is less
than 220 Dobson Units.
Measurement Of Ozone
                                                                                                                                                                             
Current Images Of Ozone Hole
August 23, 2007 August 23, 2008
 Steps Towards Ozone Protection:
1971: US House stopped funding for supersonics,
Japan airlines cancelled orders.
1974: Rowland & Milona suggested ban on CFCs.
1977: UNEP held meeting in Washington DC.

1985: Vienna Convention, Discovery of Ozone Hole.

1987: MONTREAL Protocol.

Present & Future Status on Ozone
• Global annual production of ODS has fallen by
80% to 90% of max.value
       
• Largest Ozone Hole 3 times the entire land
mass of US Observed on Sept3,2000 with size
                 
                     

        
                 

11million sq miles(28.3 million sq km)

                 
                 
                 
                 

• UNEP/WMO Scientific Assessment Of Ozone

                 
                 
                 
                 

Depletion:2006- ozone layer recovery over mid-

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

latitudes(30o-60oN&S) by 2049 & over Antarctic

                 
           

by 2065.