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October 4, 2007
Ozone Over South Pole Shrinks 30 Percent

Brussels
Depletion of the ozone layer over the South Pole has seen a 30 percent reduction this year, the European Space Agency (ESA) said Wednesday.

According to data from the agency's Envisat satellite, the South Pole's ozone layer has lost approximately 27.7 million tonnes this year, compared to 2006's record of 40 million.

The size of the hole is now estimated at 24.7 million sq km - equivalent to the size of the North America - as against 29.5 million sq km last year.

"Although the hole is somewhat smaller than before, we cannot conclude from this that the ozone layer is recovering," a Press release of the ESA quoted a senior project scientist at Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute as saying.

The scientist explained the phenomenon by the fact that this year's hole was less centred on the South Pole, and that the inflow of warm air, which prevents the ozone from depleting, was more intensive.

The ozone hole, first recognized in 1985, occurs during the Antarctic spring, from September to November or December. The overall cause is chlorine-containing gas that in sunlight splits into highly ozone-reactive radicals and breaks ozone gas particles down into individual oxygen molecules. 

RIA Novosti | October 4, 2007   

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