Strong summer storms could be damaging the ozone layer
JUL 27, 2012
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.026203
New York Times : Five years ago atmospheric scientists presented evidence of a process called convective injection in which strong rainstorms caused water vapor to rise into the normally cool and dry stratosphere. Now they believe that the process can damage the ozone layer, which prevents harmful UV radiation from reaching Earth. Although the increase in local temperature caused by the updrafts of water vapor is known to activate reactions between chlorine and ozone molecules, direct measurements of the stratosphere are needed to determine how significant the risk of damage is. The studies so far have focused on data from the US, but the researchers say that similar storms around the globe could have the same effect.
© 2012 American Institute of Physics
