Updated 09/10/23 at 5:02 p.m
According to data recorded on September 16 by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Sentinel 5P satellite, the hole that has formed in the ozone layer over Antarctica this year is one of the largest holes never measured. As the online medium Live Science reports, it measures 26 million square kilometers, about 47 times the size of France!
Every year during the fall months, scientists notice breaches in the ozone layer over Antarctica when polar stratospheric clouds appear. These consist of tiny ice crystals that weaken the already limited amounts of ozone. This year, however, these clouds developed in mid-August and created a much larger hole than usual.
Total absorption in 2050
This significant discrepancy may be related to the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano, which exploded with the force of more than 100 Hiroshima bombs and produced the highest volcanic plume ever at its peak in January 2022. However, according to ESA researchers, there is no reason to worry: the area under this gap is almost uninhabited and is expected to be closed within a few months.
The hole in the ozone layer, discovered in 1985, is largely attributed to human activity, particularly chlorofluorocarbons and bromine, which are used extensively in refrigerators and aerosols. Fortunately, the gradual ban of these substances has made it possible to stabilize their levels in the atmosphere. Experts now estimate that this hole will disappear completely by 2050.