Global Warming Impacting Ozone Recovery

It has long been believed that ozone recovery and global warming

did not overlap. However, a study recently published in the new issue of Geophysical Research Letters found a connection. It was found that greenhouse emissions are potentially preventing or slowing ozone recovery.

The main way in which global warming is impacting ozone recovery is by changing wind patterns. Global warming has been proven to cause changes in weather pattens, wind patterns etc.. Wind patterns above countries such as Australia and New Zealand have changed by speeding up. Why is this important? Ozone is formed when air is moved through the area, but it has to be the proper speed for recovery to occur.

Therefore, ozone could potentially stay at low levels in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Chile. The researchers who conducted the study believe that skin cancer rates will rise in these areas in this century if ozone cannot recover.

For now, researchers believe that the northern hemisphere is not suffering from ozone recovery slow-down from greenhouse gases. Further research must be done to study the impact of global warming and ozone recovery throughout the globe before researchers know for sure.