UN: Antarctic ozone hole is largest ever recorded
UN warns the ozone hole is larger than ever before
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Wednesday, 04, Oct 2006 08:49
The "ozone hole" in the Antarctic has grown to its largest size on record, according to the United Nations (UN).
The UN meteorological agency said it both matched the surface area in 2000 and registered the largest depletion of ozone, the gas that helps protect the Earth from ultraviolet (UV) rays, after measuring the so- called "mass deficit".
The WMO said the hole was caused by the presence of "peak levels" of ozone destroying substances such as chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere and the particularly cold South Pole winter.
Large holes over the Antarctic are forecasted to appear over the next two decades before slimming in size and depth.
But it will take until 2065 for the ozone layer to recover and the hole over the Antarctic to close, experts say.
The agency derived measurements from satellites owned by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
On September 25th, NASA found the area of the hole reached 29.5 million square kilometres (11.4 million square miles), compared to 29.4 million in September 2000.