New Delhi (NVI): The ozone layer hole, which developed to become the largest ever seen over the Arctic, has closed just weeks after opening, the scientists discovered.
The scientists monitoring hole at the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) have confirmed that the ozone in the affected area had recovered.
According to the CAMS, this disappearance is likely not due to the decrease in pollution around the world.”The Arctic ozone hole actually has nothing to do with coronavirus-related lockdowns as well,” the organisation explained repeatedly in the comments to the tweet.
The CAMS said that the hole had been driven by an unusually strong and long-lived polar vortex, and isn’t related to air quality changes.
Particularly cold temperatures and powerful winds formed a “polar vortex,” creating the frigid conditions which led to vast ozone depletion.
The gap in the vital layer, which protects the Earth from harmful radiation from the sun, set a new record for ozone depletion in the northern hemisphere when it formed.
This unprecedented hole was roughly the size of Greenland, and stretched over the top of the polar icecap.
Although previously smaller holes have appeared in the ozone layer over the northern hemisphere before, scientists said it was the first time you can speak about a real ozone hole in the Arctic.
The CAMS scientists also added, “This ozone hole was basically a symptom of the larger problem of ozone depletion, and closed because of local annual cycles, not long-term healing.
However, there’s hope the ozone layer is also healing, but slowly.
