The ozone hole reached its maximum extent of 22.4 million square kilometers (8.5 million square miles) on September 28, marking what researchers describe as a relatively small depletion compared with historical measurements.
The ozone layer, a critical atmospheric shield, protects Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
The current reduction in the ozone hole stems from a combination of declining chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) levels and unexpected ozone infusions from air currents north of Antarctica.
By the mid-1980s, the ozone layer had thinned significantly, leaving large areas of the Antarctic stratosphere nearly ozone-free by early October each year.
Additionally, the production of insulating foams and certain industrial fire suppression systems released these harmful chemicals into the atmosphere.
While indicating encouraging advancements in global environmental recovery efforts, scientists have reported that this year’s ozone hole over Earth’s southern pole covers nearly 20 million square kilometers, nearly three times the size of the contiguous United States.
On September 28, the maximum size of the ozone hole was 22.04 million square kilometers (8.5 million square miles), which scientists say is a relatively small depletion when compared to historical metrics.
As a vital atmospheric barrier, the ozone layer shields Earth from dangerous UV rays. More UV light exposure is possible in areas with depleted ozone, which can harm fragile ecosystems, lower agricultural yields, and increase the risk of skin cancer.
This year’s hole is the seventh smallest since the recovery started in 1992, when the historic Montreal Protocol—an international pact to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals—was put into effect.
“The 2024 Antarctic hole is smaller than ozone holes seen in the early 2000s,” said Paul Newman, chief scientist for Earth sciences at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and head of the agency’s ozone research team.
“The incremental progress we’ve witnessed over the last twenty years demonstrates that global initiatives to reduce ozone-depleting substances are effective,” he stated.
Unexpected ozone infusions from air currents north of Antarctica and a drop in chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) levels are the two main causes of the current ozone hole reduction. The 1987 signing of the Montreal Protocol was essential because it required all nations to switch out dangerous chemicals with greener ones by the year 2010.
Large swaths of the Antarctic stratosphere were almost completely devoid of ozone by early October every year due to the ozone layer’s dramatic thinning by the mid-1980s.
In addition to aerosols found in products like hair spray, antiperspirants, and spray paints, coolants used in air conditioners and refrigerators are major sources of CFCs that deplete the ozone layer. Furthermore, these dangerous chemicals were discharged into the atmosphere during the manufacturing of insulating foams and specific industrial fire suppression systems.
In a statement, NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory’s Stephen Montzka said that although the 2024 measurements are positive, “the ozone layer is still far from being fully healed.”. “..”.
Scientists are still keeping an eye on the ozone layer with advanced instruments on board the Suomi NPP satellite, NOAA-20 and NOAA-21 satellites, and NASA’s Aura satellite. On October 5, weather balloons launched from the South Pole Baseline Atmospheric Observatory recorded the lowest ozone concentration of 109 Dobson units, providing additional data.
According to scientists, if present patterns continue, the ozone layer may completely recover by 2066, which would be a major victory for global environmental collaboration and scientific advancement.
