is there a hole in the ozone layer directly above Australia, causing a higher rate of skin cancer?

Question

there is a higher rate of skin cancer in Australia than other parts of the world, and I was wondering if this was dues to any holes in the ozonze layer directly above Australia, letting more harmful rays into the atmosphere

Answer 1

Ozone depletion takes place over Antarctica in the late winter, early spring as the Sun reappears. Later in the season, the Polar Night Vortex, a stratospheric jet stream, breaks down and some of the ozone depleted air moves north. On occasion it has reached Tasmania but not often.

The UV radiation from the Sun is absorbed in the process of ozone creation and destruction in the mesosphere and stratosphere but not all of it is absorbed. The more radiation coming in, the more gets through with or without polar depletion.

The solar angle is what is important. In mid-summer, the Sun is almost vertically overhead in Brisbane but still at an angle in Melbourne. The greater the angle, the greater the depth of atmosphere so the more UV is removed. Brisbane with a fully intact ozone layer above it gets much more UV on the gorond than Melbourne even with a 70% reduction of ozone over Melbourne.

Australia has the highest skin cancer rate in the world because northern Europeans are living where they did not evolve to live. Hobart, Australia's most southerly city, is the same latitude south as Rome or New York are north. All of Australia is closer to the equator than there with Darwin being the equivalent of Panama or Sierra Leone. Europeans would not consider being out in the Sahara Desert without protection from the Sun but they do it at the same latitudes in Australia.

There is no ozone depletion over Australia at the moment but the UV Index today is 8 in Melbourne and 16 in Cairns and Darwin. This is normal for this time of year.

Answer 2

The hole in the ozone layer is directly above the Antarctica. The hole changes shape and size and at some point reaches South Africa and Australia. Most people agree that this is the reason for the increase in skin cancer rates in these two countries.

The reason for this is that the ozone layer is needed to filter out some dangerous rays from the sun.

Answer 3

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RE:
is there a hole in the ozone layer directly above Australia, causing a higher rate of skin cancer?
there is a higher rate of skin cancer in Australia than other parts of the world, and I was wondering if this was dues to any holes in the ozonze layer directly above Australia, letting more harmful rays into the atmosphere

Answer 4

Ozone Layer Australia

Answer 5

Hole In Ozone Layer

Answer 6

As an Australian I can tell you the real situation. The hole in the ozone layer is over Antarctica and not Australia.

However, the incidence of skin cancer in Australia is high for several reasons.....

..... The sun and heat are very intense ( you have to live and work in 45 degree C heat to believe it ) and there is a large population of north European origin. These people are not suited to the climate and their skin is prone to getting skin cancer in the Australian sun. Also until quite recently Australians have followed outdoor activities ( sports, barbeques, beach activities ) paying little attention to the harmful rays of the sun.

Today there are a lot of adverts on TV advising people to dress correctly when in the sun and to put on sun cream etc. But years ago this was not the case and young people used to spend much time outdoors and sunbathing on the beach. As these people get older, the effects of their exposure to the sun. many years ago, is catching up with them and many of them develop skin cancers

Hope this explains the situation .

Answer 7

As far as I know, the actual ozone hole is somewhere between Antarctica and Tasmania, but due to the angle the solar radiation is directed towards Australia. I'm not sure how much this affects the skin cancer rates but i'm sure it does!

Answer 8

Hole is a misdenoma, it is actually a depletion of ozone in the upper atmosphere in these regions. We don't actually know what is causing it. Some people think CFC's, others think it's natural, some people think it's overmining of the Klingon moon Praxis.

I think the sun isn't as constant as we're told, and that it is not as active at the moment as we are led to believe.
This means not as much ozone is being made up there

Answer 9

Affectionately called "Marvellous Melbourne" through the silver hurry of the 1850s, the title continues to be used today for Australia's next biggest town Melbourne, a town as you are able to visited with hotelbye . On the banks of the Yarra River, close to the entrance to Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne is a contemporary town steeped in history. With huge wealth produced from the nearby goldfields, majestic houses were built through the city. A number of these buildings however stand nowadays, and Melbourne is regarded as having more samples of Victorian structure than every other town in Australia. One place you cannot miss in your stop by at Melbourne could be the Southbank and Arts Centre Melbourne. Situated on the banks of the Yarra River that region is just a culturally rich appeal for visitors. Southbank promenade is filled up with indoor/outdoor cafés, restaurants, and live entertainment. Easily familiar by its spire, the Arts Centre features a selection of theaters and areas like the State Theatre, Playhouse, Fairfax Theatre, and Hamer Hall, the premier efficiency space for the recognized Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Answer 10

The hole in the ozone is over Antarctica and has been shrinking for years. The skin cancer rate may be totally unrelated to it. It could be the culture or the genetics of the population.