BYO Death Ray: NASA predicts ozone hole recovery in 2070

Congratulations to our first ever BYO (Build Your Own) Death Ray contributor. 13-year-old Dylan from Balwyn High School in Melbourne has sent us some good news in science - the recovery of the ozone layer. He also wins an iTunes voucher.

New research from NASA claims that the ozone layer may fully recover in around 2070. This was announced at a presentation on Wednesday during the annual American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.

The ozone layer over Antarctica.
The blue area is the 'hole'.
Image from NASA/Ozone Hole Watch.

It has been 26 years since the Montreal Protocol, which in 1997 led to 197 countries banning the chemicals that harm the ozone layer. Susan Strahan of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center said that the harmful chemicals in the atmosphere are dropping because of the protocol but have not yet dropped to the point where the ozone layer will start sealing itself back up again. Right now, major events such as global warming and variations of temperature and wind are causing disruptions in the healing process of the ozone layer.

In 2006 the ozone layer opened up its largest hole ever but in 2012 the hole was one of the smallest on record. Dr Strahan stated: “At the moment, it is winds and temperatures that are really controlling how big [the ozone hole] is.” Weather will continue to control the size of the ozone hole up until around 2015-2030 when the concentration of harmful chemicals will be low enough that the Montreal Protocol will really start to have its effect. The scientists predict that the ozone layer will heal in 2070.

Holey Links, Batman!

• What is ozone and who cares if it gets destroyed? NASA has the answers.
• The Montreal Protocol is one of the great success stories in science, politics and diplomacy.

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