Global Warming vs Hole in the Ozone Layer?

Question

A few years ago the problem was holes in the ozone layer caused by freon.

The ozone layer protects us from ultraviolet rays.

Does a hole in the ozone layer allow HEAT to radiate back to space?

Are there plants which THRIVE on ultraviolet, possibly algae, thereby consuming CO2?

Do ozone holes occur over deserts, over the Arctic regions, over cities? Or do they float around like ocean currents?

Answer 1

Such nonsense spouted here. To answer your questions:

1. Yes, there is still an "ozone hole" that forms every spring over Antarctica. (That's southern spring, which is September-November). Yes, it's caused primarily by long-lived chroloflourocarbons (CFCs) in the air, like freon. We have stopped the problem from getting worse through an international agreement called the Montreal Protocol, which limits production of CFCs. But since these gases are so long-lived in the air, it will take a long time before things get much better.

2. The ozone hole causes cooling, not warming. When an ozone molecule is hit by an ultraviolet photon, it absorbs the photon (which is good), and breaks apart, releasing energy in the form of heat. With less ozone, fewer UV photon are absorbed, and less heat is released. This is the primary reason central Antarctica is actually cooling while the rest of the planet is warming.

3. Some plant species tolerate UV fairly well, though none could be said to thrive in it. Some plants produce substances that absorb UV, which helps protect them from its effects (which are nearly always harmful).

4. The ozone hole occurs only over Antarctica, and to a much lesser extent over the Arctic. This is because the chemistry involved requires cold temperatures to work well in the first place, and because in the springtime a polar vortex forms over Antarctica (and the Arctic to a lesser extent) that shields the stratosphere from normal mixing circulation. When the vortex forms, the ozone lost from CFC chemistry is not replaced by ozone from other latitudes, and as a result the ozone layer is depleted.

When spring is over, the polar vortex diminishes and the ozone hole diffuses away.

Answer 2

no plants use UV light they use the frequencies closest to blue light. UV light is a form of ionising radiation and when it hits cells it can cause damage to its DNA and will most likely kill it. this is why you get sun burnt and skin cancer if you stay in the sun for too long.

the ozone hole is situated over Antarctica, it is keped there by strong winds.

ozone is formed when UV light strikes oxygen molecules. ozone is slightly unstable so it can give up one oxygen atom and return back to oxygen gas. because of this ozone is continuously being destroyed and created the problem is CFCs increase the rate at which ozone is broken up and so they reduce the amount of ozone protecting us from UV light.

no the hole in the ozone layer wont allow heat to radiate back into space. although ozone is a greenhouse gas it is only present in very small amounts, any human emissions of CFCs will also counteract any loss of greenhouse gasses. the wavelengths ozone absorbs means that it will make very little difference anyway.

Answer 3

The ozone layer blocks high frequency waves - cosmic rays, gamma rays, x-rays. It doesn't block low frequency waves - infrared (heat), radio waves, visible light. It reduces ultra-violet. So I would assume it blocks more incoming radiation than outgoing.

The only ozone holes I've heard of are over the arctic and antarctic.

I'm sure somewhere there's an underdeveloped organism that likes ultraviolet, but I think we want to encourage a planet that supports forms of life similar to us, not one that supports new and exciting forms.

Information question? Or are you looking for a reason to say protecting the ozone is the real cause of global warming?

Answer 4

There appears to be a continuing problem with the ozone layer. It is not healing as well as first thought.
We have been putting less ozone into the atmosphere as a result of use of catalytic converters and smokestack scrubbers.
But more significant is excess chlorine escaping from water treatment.

We do have an alternative, the Ozonator. I personally prefer water treated with an excess of ozone to water treated with excess chlorine, But my preference is not part of this topic.
Use of an Ozonator to treat water instead of using chlorine is now government approved in Canada.
Like chlorinators they need to produce an excess of ozone for biological safety. Excess ozone reverts to oxygen in water.

Answer 5

Freon takes 15 years to reach the upper atmosphere and stays in the atmosphere for hundreds of years. The concentration of CFC's in the upper atmosphere is as high as ever, but ozone is regenerating. Some people believe ozone depletion is more natural than man made.

According to the IPCC, ozone is a greenhouse gas and a reduction of ozone does allow more heat to radiate into space.

The hole in the ozone layer is confined to Antartica.

Answer 6

All these people who are saying not to believe it are just too smug to admit that they are WRONG!!!!! The holes in the ozone layer means that our earth is affected by all this extra heat, causing global warming. To make it easier, global warming is the major issue, the holes in the ozone layer are only part of the problem. Global warming is causing the arctic to melt, many animals to die out and ruining this planet. I wish people would understand that it is true and admit that they are wrong!!
It's actually really fun to read some of these other answers cause it proves just how many stupid people are really out there, and when they comes to terms with being wrong i can't wait to laugh at them til i die!!!!

Answer 7

no the ozone layer has to do nothing with the heat of atomosphere....It only prevents UV to enter the earth's atomosphere.....
the use of freyons and chloroflourocarbons is creating holes in ozone which consequently causing uv to enter the earth's atomosphere....
these holes r fix and they do not move....for lets take us the support of real facts according to which there r lot of holes in arctic region...these holes will remain confined to that region but more holes r unfortunately developed in various places like above canada above australia and so on...

no there r no such plants which thrive on uv

Answer 8

Manmade Global Warming is a Hoax.

Answer 9

Ozone holes are a myth. The ozone continually repairs itself & doesn't have any "permanent" holes, as some would have you believe.

Global warming is also a myth. The global temperatures have been changing up & down throughout time. It is not caused by anything "man-made".

Answer 10

There are no 'holes in the ozone' just like there will be no 'Global Warming' soon. Both are hyped events. I hope Al Gore goes away too but thats not scientific fact, just wishful thinking.