Instructions

To prevent new ozone holes from forming, find out what causes them. Ozone is the same oxygen, but having not two atoms, but three. Oxygen acquires a third atom at an altitude of 12 - 50 kilometers due to the impact sun rays, due to which it is ionized. Ozone accumulates in the upper layers of the atmosphere and forms the ozone layer, which covers the entire planet and protects it from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays from the Sun.

Places where the ozone layer is noticeably thinner are called ozone holes. This layer has always become thinner, not only due to harmful effects human activity. The destruction of the ozone layer occurs due to chemical bonding with hydrogen, bromine, methane, chlorine, etc. As a result, it forms completely different chemical compounds, but after some time this modification of oxygen accumulates again.

Factories, factories, transport, and various household appliances increase the content in the atmosphere of substances that destroy the ozone layer, and its thinning occurs faster than restoration. The very first ozone hole appeared over Antarctica because the sun's rays needed to form ozone were insufficient there.

Now ozone holes have appeared over the Arctic, and the ozone layer in the atmosphere is decreasing. You can prevent new holes from forming by trying to use your car less. If the distance to your destination is short, walk. Do not spray air fresheners and all other sprays unless absolutely necessary; they also contain substances that destroy the ozone layer.

If you have a summer house or a private house, plant more trees and other plants, they produce the necessary oxygen. Convince your friends and family to follow these too simple rules Only together will humanity contribute to the restoration of the ozone layer.

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• What are ozone holes? How to prevent their occurrence?

Ozone is a bluish gas made up of three oxygen atoms (O3). When the ozone layer thins, more ultraviolet radiation begins to penetrate to the Earth, which is necessary for the normal functioning of people. Ozone absorbs excess ultraviolet radiation, including that which is dangerous for all life on Earth. Ozone holes are not a hole in the atmosphere in the full sense. This is a slow steady decrease in the concentration of the stratospheric layer.

Instructions

Recently, extreme precipitation events have become more frequent, and they, in turn, cause natural disasters(floods, landslides). It has not yet been established who is responsible for the ozone holes. Maybe the cause of their occurrence is flights, the result of human activity or greenhouse gases, but one thing is clear - the ozone layer is becoming thinner, and this is already a comprehensive problem.

However, the anthropogenic factor is only one component of the problem. It is true that the planet itself is destroying itself, displacing humanity with the help of radiation (cancer diseases). The fact is that the map of ozone holes coincides with the map of methane deposits, which is why we can say that holes have always been. If you want to help, refuse aerosol packaging, be it deodorants, fresheners, etc. Do not release freon - monitor the integrity of the system in the refrigerator, car, etc.

Protest together with the “greens”, sign appeals to the governments of the world - the more activists, the greater the chance that you will be heard.

The General Assembly declared the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer in 1994. In 1987, Russia and 36 other countries signed a document obliging participating countries to limit or stop the production of ozone-depleting substances.

Large enterprises are monitored everywhere to see how they comply with air protection legislation. Countries have stopped the production of chlorofluorocarbons. Scientists believe that these measures taken (if humans are the culprit) will help renew the ozone layer by 2060, but until then, ozone layer depletion will greatly affect the climate.

In the upper part of the Earth's stratosphere, at an altitude of 20 to 50 km, there is a layer of ozone - triatomic oxygen. Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, a molecule of ordinary oxygen (O2) attaches another atom, and as a result, an ozone molecule (O3) is formed.

Protective layer of the planet

Ozone layer depletion

In the 70s, during research, it was noticed that freon gas, used in air conditioners, refrigerators, etc., destroys ozone at a tremendous speed. Rising to the upper layers of the atmosphere, freons release chlorine, which decomposes ozone into ordinary and atomic oxygen. At the site of such interactions, an ozone hole is formed.

What does the ozone layer protect from?

Ozone holes are ubiquitous, but as many factors change, they are covered by ozone from neighboring layers of the atmosphere. Those, in turn, become even more subtle. The ozone layer acts as the only barrier to the destructive ultraviolet and radiation radiation of the sun. Without the ozone layer, the immune system would be destroyed.

Scientists estimate that a decrease in the ozone layer by just 1% increases the likelihood of cancer by 3-6%.

A decrease in the amount of ozone in the atmosphere will unpredictably change the climate on the planet. Because the ozone layer dissipates heat from the Earth's surface, as the ozone layer depletes the climate will become colder and the direction of some winds will change. All this will lead to natural disasters.

Montreal Protocol

In 1989, the majority of UN member states signed an agreement according to which the production of ozone-depleting freons and gases must be stopped. According to, after the signing of the agreement, the ozone layer should be fully restored by 2050.

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• What is the ozone layer for?

Ozone holes are areas in the Earth's ozone layer where the ozone gas, which protects the planet from radiation, is very low. Usually the process of their formation is associated with human activity, but there is an opinion that the origin of ozone holes is absolutely natural.

The ozone hole

It has been proven that freons released during the operation of many devices cause ozone loss in middle and high latitudes, but they do not affect the formation of polar ozone holes.

It is likely that a combination of many human and natural factors led to the formation of ozone holes. On the one hand, volcanic activity has increased, on the other, people have begun to seriously influence nature - the ozone layer can be damaged not only by the release of freon, but also by collisions with failed satellites. Thanks to a decrease in the number of erupting volcanoes since the end of the 20th century and restrictions on the use of freons, the situation has begun to improve slightly: scientists recently recorded a small hole over Antarctica. A more detailed study of ozone depletion will make it possible to prevent the emergence of these areas.

Tip 6: How International ozone layer day

On September 16, 1987, in the Canadian city of Montreal, delegates from 36 countries signed the Montreal Protocol. Each of these 36 states took upon itself the obligation to take all possible measures to gradually limit, and in the future, completely stop the production and use of substances that destroy the ozone layer of the earth's atmosphere.

This day was first celebrated in Russia in 2011. Employees of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and UN representatives took part in the program prepared and implemented on the basis of the State Polytechnic College No. 19 - the only educational institution Russia, training specialists in the field of installation and maintenance of industrial and domestic refrigeration equipment. The choice was not accidental, because the main source of destruction of the ozone layer is fluorinated refrigerants. And in order to control the reliability of refrigeration equipment, preventing leaks of refrigerants into the environment, as well as gradually reducing the volume of their production and use, qualified specialists in this field are needed.

16 of September current year Ozone Layer Protection Day will also be celebrated in Moscow. In addition to traditional reports and information on the results of observations of the thickness of the ozone layer in the polar regions, data will be presented on measures taken to regulate the circulation of ozone-depleting substances in Russia. There will be training computer games, dedicated to the topic of preserving the ozone layer. And in conclusion holiday will be shown concert program.

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The occurrence of ozone holes in the polar regions occurs due to the influence of a number of factors. Ozone concentrations decrease as a result of exposure to substances of natural and anthropogenic origin, as well as due to a lack of solar radiation during the polar winter. The main anthropogenic factor causing the occurrence of ozone holes in the polar regions occurs due to the influence of a number of factors. Ozone concentrations decrease as a result of exposure to substances of natural and anthropogenic origin, as well as due to a lack of solar radiation during the polar winter. The main anthropogenic factor causing a decrease in ozone concentration is the release of chlorine- and bromine-containing freons. In addition, extremely low temperatures in the polar regions cause the formation of so-called polar stratospheric clouds, which, in combination with polar vortexes, act as catalysts in the ozone decay reaction, that is, they simply kill ozone.

Sources of destruction

Among the ozone layer depleters are:

1) Freons.

Ozone is destroyed by chlorine compounds known as freons, which are also destroyed by solar radiation, release chlorine, which “tears off” the “third” atom from ozone molecules. Chlorine does not form compounds, but serves as a “breaking” catalyst. Thus, one chlorine atom can “destroy” a lot of ozone. It is believed that chlorine compounds can remain in the atmosphere from 50 to 1500 years (depending on the composition of the substance) of the Earth. Observations of the planet's ozone layer have been carried out by Antarctic expeditions since the mid-50s.

The ozone hole over Antarctica, which increases in size in the spring and decreases in the fall, was discovered in 1985. The discovery of meteorologists caused a chain of economic consequences. The fact is that the existence of the “hole” was accused chemical industry, producing substances containing freons that contribute to the destruction of ozone (from deodorants to refrigeration units). There is no consensus on the question of how much humans are to blame for the formation of “ozone holes.” On the one hand, yes, he is certainly guilty. The production of compounds that lead to ozone depletion should be minimized, or better yet stopped altogether. That is, to abandon an entire industry sector with a turnover of many billions of dollars. And if you don’t refuse, then transfer it to “safe” rails, which also costs money.

The point of view of skeptics: human influence on atmospheric processes, for all its destructiveness on a local level, in planetary scale- insignificant. The Greens' anti-freon campaign has a completely transparent economic and political background: with its help, large American corporations (DuPont, for example) are strangling their foreign competitors by imposing agreements on "protection" environment"at the state level and forcibly introducing a new technological revolution that economically weaker states are not able to withstand.

2)High altitude aircraft

The destruction of the ozone layer is facilitated not only by freons released into the atmosphere and entering the stratosphere. Nitrogen oxides, which are formed during nuclear explosions, are also involved in the destruction of the ozone layer. But nitrogen oxides are also formed in the combustion chambers of turbojet engines of high-altitude aircraft. Nitrogen oxides are formed from the nitrogen and oxygen that are found there. The higher the temperature, i.e., the greater the engine power, the greater the rate of formation of nitrogen oxides. It's not just the power of an airplane's engine that matters, but also the altitude at which it flies and releases ozone-depleting nitrogen oxides. The higher the nitrous oxide or oxide is formed, the more destructive it is to ozone. The total amount of nitrogen oxide that is emitted into the atmosphere per year is estimated at 1 billion tons. About a third of this amount is emitted by aircraft above the average tropopause level (11 km). As for aircraft, the most harmful emissions are from military aircraft, the number of which amounts to tens of thousands. They fly primarily at altitudes in the ozone layer.

3) Mineral fertilizers

Ozone in the stratosphere can also decrease due to the fact that nitrous oxide N2O enters the stratosphere, which is formed during the denitrification of nitrogen bound by soil bacteria. The same denitrification of fixed nitrogen is also carried out by microorganisms in the upper layer of oceans and seas. The denitrification process is directly related to the amount of fixed nitrogen in the soil. Thus, you can be sure that with an increase in the amount of mineral fertilizers applied to the soil, the amount of nitrous oxide N2O formed will also increase to the same extent. Further, nitrogen oxides are formed from nitrous oxide, which lead to the destruction of stratospheric ozone.

4) Nuclear explosions

Nuclear explosions release a lot of energy in the form of heat. A temperature of 6000 0 C is established within a few seconds after a nuclear explosion. This is the energy of the fireball. In a highly heated atmosphere, such transformations occur chemical substances, which under normal conditions either do not occur or occur very slowly. As for ozone and its disappearance, the most dangerous for it are the nitrogen oxides formed during these transformations. Thus, during the period from 1952 to 1971, as a result of nuclear explosions, about 3 million tons of nitrogen oxides were formed in the atmosphere. Their further fate is as follows: as a result of atmospheric mixing, they end up at different heights, including the atmosphere. There they enter into chemical reactions with the participation of ozone, leading to its destruction.

5) Fuel combustion.

Nitrous oxide is also found in flue gases from power plants. Actually, the fact that nitrogen oxide and dioxide are present in combustion products has been known for a long time. But these higher oxides do not affect ozone. They, of course, pollute the atmosphere and contribute to the formation of smog in it, but they are quickly removed from the troposphere. Nitrous oxide, as already mentioned, is dangerous for ozone. At low temperatures it is formed in the following reactions:

N 2 + O + M = N 2 O + M,

2NH 3 + 2O 2 =N 2 O = 3H 2.

The scale of this phenomenon is very significant. In this way, approximately 3 million tons of nitrous oxide are formed in the atmosphere annually! This figure suggests that it is a source of ozone destruction.

Conclusion: Sources of destruction are: freons, high-altitude aircraft, mineral fertilizers, nuclear explosions, fuel combustion.

Since there are long polar nights at the poles, in these places there is a sharp decline temperatures and stratospheric clouds containing ice crystals form. As a result, molecular chlorine accumulates in the air, the internal bonds of which are broken with the onset of spring and the appearance of solar radiation.

A chain of chemical processes that occurs when chlorine atoms rush into the atmosphere leads to the destruction of ozone and the formation of ozone holes. When the Sun begins to shine at full strength, air masses with a new portion of ozone are sent to the poles, due to which the hole is closed.

Why do ozone holes appear?

There are many reasons for ozone holes, but the most important one is pollution. natural environment person. In addition to chlorine atoms, ozone molecules destroy hydrogen, oxygen, bromine and other combustion products that enter the atmosphere due to emissions from factories, factories, and flue gas power plants.
Nuclear tests have no less impact on the ozone layer: during explosions, a huge amount of energy is released and nitrogen oxides are formed, which react with ozone and destroy its molecules. It is estimated that from 1952 to 1971 alone, nuclear explosions released about 3 million tons of this substance into the atmosphere.

Jet planes also contribute to the formation of ozone holes, in the engines of which nitrogen oxides are also formed. The higher the power of a turbojet engine, the higher the temperature in its combustion chambers and the more nitrogen oxides enter the atmosphere. Research estimates that 1 million tons of nitrogen is released into the air each year, a third of which comes from airplanes. Another reason for the destruction of the ozone layer is mineral fertilizers, which, when applied to the ground, react with soil bacteria. In this case, nitrous oxide enters the atmosphere, from which oxides are formed.

What consequences can ozone holes have for humanity?

Due to the weakening of the ozone layer, the flow of solar radiation increases, which in turn can lead to the death of plants and animals. The impact of ozone holes on humans is expressed primarily in an increase in the number of skin cancers. Scientists have calculated that if the concentration of ozone in the atmosphere drops by even 1%, the number of cancer patients will increase by about 7,000 people per year.
That is why environmentalists are now sounding the alarm and trying to take all necessary measures to protect the ozone layer, and designers are developing environmentally friendly mechanisms (airplanes, missile systems, ground transport) that emit less nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere

Acid rain

Acid rain - all types of meteorological precipitation - rain, snow, hail, fog, sleet - in which there is a decrease in the pH (hydrogen value) of rainfall due to air pollution with acidic oxides, usually sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides [

Acid rain is one of the terms that industrialization brought to humanity. The indefatigable consumption of the planet's resources, the huge scale of fuel combustion, and environmentally imperfect technologies are clear signs of the rapid development of industry, which is ultimately accompanied by chemical pollution of water, air and land. Acid rain is just one manifestation of such pollution.

First mentioned back in 1872, The concept became truly relevant only in the second half of the 20th century. Currently, acid rain is a problem for many countries around the world, including the United States and almost all European countries. The acid rain map, developed by environmentalists around the world, clearly shows the areas at highest risk of hazardous precipitation.

CAUSES OF ACID RAIN

All rainwater has a certain level of acidity.. But in the normal case, this indicator corresponds to a neutral pH level - 5.6-5.7 or slightly higher. The slight acidity is due to the content in the air carbon dioxide, but is considered so low that it does not cause any harm to living organisms. Thus, the causes of acid rain are solely due to human activities and cannot be explained by natural causes.

Preconditions for increasing the acidity of atmospheric water arise when industrial enterprises emit large volumes of sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides. The most typical sources of such pollution are vehicle exhaust gases, metallurgical production and thermal power plants (CHP). Unfortunately, the current level of development of purification technologies does not allow filtering out nitrogen and sulfur compounds that arise as a result of the combustion of coal, peat, and other types of raw materials used in industry. As a result, such oxides enter the atmosphere and combine with water as a result of reactions under the influence of sunlight, and fall to the ground in the form of precipitation, which is called “acid rain”.

CONSEQUENCES OF ACID RAIN

Scientists note that the consequences of acid rain are very multidimensional and dangerous for both people, animals and plants. Among the main ones, experts name the following effects:

1. Acid rain significantly increases the acidity of lakes, ponds, and reservoirs, as a result of which their natural flora and fauna are gradually dying out. As a result of changes in the ecosystem of water bodies, they become swamped, clogged, and have increased silt. In addition, as a result of such processes, water becomes unsuitable for human use. It increases the content of heavy metal salts and various toxic compounds, which under normal conditions are absorbed by the microflora of the reservoir.

2. Acid rain leads to forest degradation and plant extinction. Coniferous trees are especially affected, since the slow renewal of foliage does not give them the opportunity to independently eliminate the effects of acid rain. Young forests are also very susceptible to such precipitation, the quality of which is rapidly declining. With constant exposure to water with high acidity, trees die.

3. In the USA and Europe acid rain is one of the common causes of poor harvests, extinction of agricultural crops over vast areas. Moreover, the reason for such damage lies both in the direct effect that acid rain has on plants and in disturbances in soil mineralization.

4. Acid rain causes irreparable damage to architectural monuments, buildings, and structures. The action of such precipitation causes accelerated corrosion of metals and failure of mechanisms.

5. With the current acidity that acid rain has, in some cases it can cause direct harm to humans and animals. First of all, people in high-risk areas suffer from upper respiratory tract diseases. However, the day is not far off when the saturation of harmful substances in the atmosphere will reach a level at which sufficiently high concentrations of sulfuric and nitrate acid will fall out in the form of precipitation. In such a situation, the threat to human health will be significantly higher.

HOW TO DEAL WITH ACID RAIN?

It is almost impossible to deal with precipitation itself. Falling over vast areas, acid rain causes significant damage, and constructive solution there is no such problem.

Another thing is that in the case of acid rain, it is critically necessary to deal not with the consequences, but with the causes of this phenomenon. The search for alternative sources of energy production, environmentally friendly vehicles, new production technologies and technologies for purifying emissions into the atmosphere is an incomplete list of what humanity must attend to so that the consequences do not become catastrophic.

Tropical forests are a unique plant community characterized by species richness of plants and animals. It is no coincidence that white travelers have earned these places the respectful name of “green hell” for their inaccessibility, mystery and dangers that await everyone who dares to enter here at every step. Unfortunately, this ecosystem, which has undergone the least changes over the entire existence of the land, is now disappearing at an alarming rate, and what was created by nature over millions of years can be destroyed by humans in a matter of decades. The consequences may become unpredictable.

The species distribution of vegetation on the globe depends on climate and is zonal in nature. The most amazing of these zones are tropical forests, growing in areas with the most favorable conditions for the growth and development of plants. This is facilitated by the climate - this zone is characterized by high, but not excessive, temperatures and heavy rainfall. Daily and annual temperature fluctuations are small, and as a result, in tropical forests there are no changes in seasons, and all days are similar to each other. The length of daylight hours also remains virtually unchanged throughout the year. In short, here they are practically created for plants. ideal conditions for life. In tropical forests, organic life literally boils. Before the tree has time to die, it is immediately attacked by hordes of fungi, bacteria and insects, and in a matter of days the forest giants completely decompose into simpler substances, providing food for many other species. Therefore, the soil in tropical forests is unusually poor, and in its productivity cannot be compared with the rich lands of the temperate zone - the thickness of the humus under the canopy of the tropical forest barely reaches a few millimeters.

It cannot be more powerful, because falling leaves decompose very quickly, and everything that has even the slightest nutritional value is immediately consumed by numerous people who want it. Thanks to the intensive turnover of organic matter over millions of years, tropical forests have developed an ideal balance. Surely this would have continued further, but man came and began to exploit natural resources in a barbaric manner. And if there are no trees, then the already thin layer of humus will quickly be depleted. The burning rays of the sun, touching the ground, quickly dry it and destroy bacteria that decompose organic matter, and under the thin life-giving humus there are barren soils, devoid of even signs of organic life. So the place of cut down trees is very quickly taken by a lifeless desert. In world markets, the wood of many types of tropical trees is highly valued, so it is not surprising that large trading companies began logging it at any cost. The most valuable tree species from a business point of view grow interspersed with other species, without creating separate groups - and in order to obtain them, harvesters are forced to destroy large forest areas.

When they fall, forest giants crush other plants, and heavy equipment that transports trunks for processing causes irreparable damage to the forest, destroying the top layer of soil with its tracks and wheels. However, the extraction of valuable tree species is not the only threat to the equatorial forests, which are being massively consumed by fire. Fires in these places rage for two main reasons: firstly, sometimes the removal of low-value tree species is not justified, and loggers simply burn them right at the felling site; the second reason is human agricultural activity. First of all, we are talking about primitive tribes that have survived in tropical forests to this day and clear places for their fields in the most primitive way - by burning the forest.

However, one could still come to terms with this damage, because after the departure of the tribe, after two or three years, the relatively small burned areas of the forest, as a rule, are restored.

But the main danger is that such a primitive process of expanding arable land in many equatorial countries is acquiring a national scale, and the ecological situation is changing dramatically - in the depths of tropical forests, vast fields are increasingly appearing, around which settlements of farmers are growing. Such expansion occurs, for example, in Brazil, where, in search of economic reserves, the government is investing huge amounts of money in promoting the agricultural sector deep into the Amazon forests. Deposits of valuable minerals have been discovered in some areas of tropical forests, and if confirmed economic expediency their developments, the exploitation of raw materials by the cheapest begins very quickly open method- one of these quarries in the Amazon covers an area of ​​several hundred square kilometers.

Brazil has adopted a government program to create chemical and pharmaceutical enterprises in the Amazon. Vast areas along the banks of the Amazon are poisoned by mercury, which is used by gold miners. When highways are built that cut through tropical forests, wide asphalt strips disrupt the unity of the ecosystem and threaten the lives of animals. There are many rivers in tropical forests that are famous for their picturesque waterfalls. However, this natural beauty has no significance for the development of the economy - civilized visitors are only interested in the profit hidden in the free energy that rivers can provide. Therefore, in tropical forests there is a rapid construction of hydroelectric power stations with the appearance of a whole system of dams - and then huge forest areas are flooded, the balance of surface and groundwater changes.

Meanwhile, the huge green mass of tropical forests plays an extremely important role in stabilizing the earth's atmosphere. During photosynthesis, leaves absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, which has great importance to maintain the balance of these gases in nature and saves the planet from threats that threaten it greenhouse effect. Reducing the green cover by half can be compared to an operation when healthy person One lung was cut out. Tropical forests grow in areas with high rainfall. But this precipitation, to a large extent, occurs precisely thanks to humid forests, which, through the process of evaporation, supply an incredible amount of energy to the atmosphere. a large number of water vapor. The destruction of forests leads to the disappearance of water and shade, and the scorching hot sun in these latitudes very quickly completes the process of desertification. Scientists have estimated that today a billion farmers live in cultivated areas that once made up tropical forests. Climatologists are sounding the alarm - if tropical forests continue to be destroyed at the same rate, the planet faces global drought, rising temperatures and the occurrence of unabated hurricanes.

The shrinking area of ​​tropical forests also poses a threat such as the irreparable loss of many species of flora and fauna. It was found that 45% of all plant species, 96% of arthropods, 45% of mammals and 30% of birds lived in pristine tropical forests. With the destruction of forests, many species disappeared, and at the same time the biological diversity planet - and with each disappearing species, humanity loses some part of the genetic information accumulated on Earth. By the way, among the dying species there are many that are not even known to science, and it is possible that the leaves, roots and fruits of some unknown plants contain chemical compounds that can cure, for example, malignant tumors. Animals also die - most often due to the fact that people change or destroy their usual habitat.

The fate of tropical forests worries thousands of people and dozens of organizations who are making efforts to curb the process of extermination of a unique biocenosis. There are different ways to protect nature. Major environmental organizations in Europe and North America are boycotting the sale of tropical wood products; in turn, the International Tropical Timber Trade Society has developed methods for the rational use of this type of raw material.

All this is done not only because of love for nature - there is also a sound commercial calculation: economists have calculated that a predatory attitude towards forests will sooner or later lead to a decline in timber trade, so some countries are beginning to create plantations of valuable species of tropical trees. Only future generations will feel the benefits of this - such trees grow for decades. But already today a number of products are assigned a mark, which indicates that the product is made from wood grown on a plantation. However, the most the best option preserve tropical forests in their original form - create a network of national parks. The action that allowed private individuals to buy small areas of tropical forests had a great moral impact - from such symbolic purchases, eventually arose national park in Costa Rica.

Countries with tropical forests already understand that it is better to make money from wealthy tourists who want to see the unique diversity of tropical flora and fauna with their own eyes, than to destroy this constant source of profit. More and more companies are joining the paper and cardboard collection and recycling program. The International Monetary Fund has provided financial assistance to Indonesia to compensate for the damage caused by the liquidation of a corrupt timber trading consortium in the country. The world of science and politics is increasingly holding conferences on protecting the “green lungs of the Earth.” Whether all this will bring quick results is unknown. But there remains hope that in the coming years the avalanche-like reduction in the area of ​​tropical forests will stop.

Related information.

IN Lately Increasingly, the public is concerned about environmental issues - protecting the environment, animals, reducing the amount of harmful and dangerous emissions. Surely everyone has also heard about what an ozone hole is, and that there are a lot of them in the modern stratosphere of the Earth. This is true.

Modern anthropogenic activities and technological development threaten the existence of animals and plants on Earth, as well as the very lives of people.

The ozone layer is the protective shell of the blue planet, which is located in the stratosphere. Its height is approximately twenty-five kilometers from the earth's surface. And this layer is formed from oxygen, which under the influence of solar radiation undergoes chemical transformations. A local decrease in ozone concentration (in common parlance this is the well-known “hole”) is currently caused by many reasons. First of all, this is, of course, human activity (both production and everyday life). There are, however, opinions that the ozone layer is destroyed under the influence of exclusively natural phenomena not related to humans.

Anthropogenic influence

Having understood what the ozone hole is, it is necessary to find out what kind of human activity contributes to its appearance. First of all, these are aerosols. Every day we use deodorants, hairsprays, eau de toilettes with spray bottles and often don’t think about the fact that this has a detrimental effect on our health. protective layer planets.

The fact is that the compounds that are present in the cans we are used to (including bromine and chlorine) readily react with oxygen atoms. Therefore, the ozone layer is destroyed, turning after such chemical reactions into completely useless (and often harmful) substances.

Destructive compounds for the ozone layer are also present in air conditioners, which are life-saving in the summer heat, as well as in cooling equipment. Widespread human industrial activity also weakens the earth's defenses. It is oppressed by industrial water (some of the harmful substances evaporate over time), polluting the stratosphere and cars. The latter, as statistics show, is becoming more and more numerous every year. Negatively affects the ozone layer and

Natural influence

Knowing what an ozone hole is, you also need to have an idea of ​​how many there are above the surface of our planet. The answer is disappointing: there are many gaps in earthly defenses. They are small and often represent not a hole, but a very thin remaining layer of ozone. However, there are also two huge unprotected spaces. This is the Arctic and Antarctic ozone hole.

The stratosphere above the Earth's poles contains almost no protective layer at all. What is this connected with? There are no cars or industrial production there. It's all about natural influence, the second reason. Polar vortexes arise when warm and cold air currents collide. These gas formations in large quantities contain nitric acid, which, when exposed to very low temperatures, reacts with ozone.

Environmentalists began to sound the alarm only in the twentieth century. Destructive ones that make their way to the ground without encountering an ozone barrier can cause skin cancer in humans, as well as the death of many animals and plants (primarily marine ones). Thus, international organizations have banned almost all compounds that destroy the protective layer of our planet. It is believed that even if humanity suddenly stops all negative impact on ozone in the stratosphere, the currently existing holes will not disappear very soon. This is explained by the fact that freons that have already made their way to the top are able to independently exist in the atmosphere for decades to come.

An ozone hole is a local drop in ozone concentration in the Earth's ozone layer. According to the generally accepted theory in the scientific community, in the second half of the 20th century, the ever-increasing impact anthropogenic factor in the form of the release of chlorine- and bromine-containing freons led to a significant thinning of the ozone layer.

Ozone is an allotropic modification of oxygen. The nature of the chemical bonds in ozone determines its instability (after a certain time, ozone spontaneously turns into oxygen: 2O 3 → 3O 2) and high oxidizing ability. Oxidative effect of ozone on organic matter associated with the formation of radicals: RH + O 3 → RО 2. +OH.

These radicals initiate radical chain reactions with bioorganic molecules (lipids, proteins, nucleic acids), which leads to cell death. Application of ozone for sterilization drinking water based on its ability to kill germs. Ozone is also important for higher organisms. Prolonged exposure to ozone-containing environments (such as physical therapy and quartz irradiation rooms) can cause severe damage. nervous system. Therefore, ozone in large doses is a toxic gas. The maximum permissible concentration in the air of the working area is 0.1 mg/m3.

There is very little ozone, which smells so wonderful during a thunderstorm, in the atmosphere - 3-4 ppm (per mille) - (3-4) * 10 -4%. However, its presence is extremely important for the flora and fauna of the planet. After all, life that originated in the ocean depths was able to “crawl” onto land only after the ozone shield was formed 600–800 million years ago. By absorbing biologically active solar ultraviolet radiation, it ensured its safe level on the surface of the planet. Life on Earth is unthinkable without the ozone layer, which protects all living things from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. The disappearance of the ozonosphere would lead to unpredictable consequences - an outbreak of skin cancer, the destruction of plankton in the ocean, mutations of flora and fauna. Therefore, it is so important to understand the causes of the ozone “hole” over Antarctica and the decrease in ozone levels in the Northern Hemisphere.

Ozone is formed in the upper stratosphere (40-50 km) during photochemical reactions involving oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and chlorine. Atmospheric ozone is concentrated in two areas - the stratosphere (up to 90%) and the troposphere. As for the tropospheric ozone layer distributed at an altitude of 0 to 10 km, it is precisely due to uncontrolled industrial emissions that it is becoming more and more abundant. In the lower stratosphere (10-25 km), where ozone is highest, main role the processes of air mass transfer play a role in seasonal and longer-term changes in its concentration.

The thickness of the ozone layer over Europe is decreasing at a rapid pace, which cannot but worry the minds of scientists. Over the past year, the thickness of the ozone “coat” has decreased by 30%, and the rate of deterioration of the natural protective shell has reached the highest point in the last 50 years. It has been established that chemical reactions that destroy ozone occur on the surface of ice crystals and any other particles trapped in the high stratosphere above the polar regions. What danger does this pose to humans?

Thin ozone layer (2-3 mm when distributed around Globe) cannot prevent the penetration of short-wave ultraviolet rays, which cause skin cancer and are dangerous to plants. Therefore, today, due to the high activity of the sun, sunbathing has become less useful. In general, environmental centers should give recommendations to the population on how to act depending on the activity of the sun, but in our country there is no such center.

Climate change is associated with a decrease in the ozone layer. It is clear that changes will occur not only in the area over which the ozone hole “stretches”. The chain reaction will entail changes in many deep processes of our planet. This does not mean that rapid global warming will begin everywhere, as they scare us in horror films. Still, this is too complex and time-consuming process. But other disasters may arise, for example, the number of typhoons, tornadoes, and hurricanes will increase.

It has been established that “holes” in the ozone layer appear over the Arctic and Antarctica. This is explained by the fact that acid clouds form at the poles, destroying the ozone layer. It turns out that ozone holes arise not from the activity of the sun, as is commonly believed, but from the daily activities of all the inhabitants of the planet, including you and me. Then the “acid gaps” shift, most often to Siberia.

Using a new mathematical model, it was possible to link together data from ground-based, satellite and aircraft observations with the levels of likely future emissions of ozone-depleting compounds into the atmosphere, the timing of their transport to Antarctica and weather in southern latitudes. Using the model, a forecast was obtained according to which the ozone layer over Antarctica will recover in 2068, and not in 2050, as was believed.

It is known that currently the level of ozone in the stratosphere over areas far from the poles is approximately 6% below normal. At the same time, in the spring, the ozone content over Antarctica can decrease by 70% relative to the annual average. The new model makes it possible to more accurately predict the levels of ozone-depleting gases over Antarctica and their temporal dynamics, which determine the size of the ozone “hole.”

The use of ozone depleting substances is limited by the Montreal Protocol. It was believed that this would lead to a rapid “tightening” of the ozone hole. However, new research has shown that in reality the rate of decline will only become noticeable in 2018.

To begin global recovery, it is necessary to reduce the access to the atmosphere of all substances that very quickly destroy ozone and are stored there for a long time. People need to understand this and help nature start the process of restoring the ozone layer; in particular, new forest plantings are needed.

To restore the ozone layer, it needs to be recharged. At first, for this purpose, it was planned to create several ground-based ozone factories and “throw” ozone into the upper layers of the atmosphere on cargo planes. However, this project (probably it was the first project to “treat” the planet) was not implemented. A different way is proposed by the Russian consortium Interozon: producing ozone directly in the atmosphere. In the near future, together with the German company Daza, it is planned to raise balloons with infrared lasers to a height of 15 km, with the help of which they can produce ozone from diatomic oxygen. If this experiment turns out to be successful, in the future it is planned to use the experience of the Russian Mir orbital station and create several space platforms with energy sources and lasers at an altitude of 400 km. Laser beams will be directed into the central part of the ozone layer and will constantly replenish it. The energy source can be solar panels. Astronauts on these platforms will only be required for periodic inspections and repairs.

Time will tell whether the grandiose peace project will be realized.

Taking into account the emergency of the situation, it seems necessary:

ü expand the complex of theoretical and experimental research on the problem of preserving the ozone layer;

ü create an International Fund for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer by active means;

ü organize an International Committee to develop a strategy for the survival of humanity in extreme conditions.