The Ozonoe Layer

The Ozone Layer
Ozone is a gas that occurs naturally in our atmosphere. Most of it is concentrated in the ozone layer, a region located in the stratosphere several miles above the surface of theEarth. Although ozone represents only a small fraction of the gas present in the atmosphere, it plays a vital role by shielding humans and other life from harmful ultraviolet light from the Sun. Humanactivities in the last several decades have produced chemicals, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which have been released into the atmosphere and have contributed to the depletion of this importantprotective layer. When scientists realized the destructive affect these chemicals could have on the ozone layer, international agreements were put in place to limit such emissions. As a result, it isexpected that the ozone layer will recover in the coming decades.Ozone is also a greenhouse gas in the upper atmosphere and, therefore, plays a role in Earth's climate. The increases in primary greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, may affect how the ozonelayer recovers in coming years. Understanding precisely how ozone abundances will change in a future with diminished chlorofluorocarbon emissions and increased emissions of greenhouse gases remains animportant challenge for atmospheric scientists in NOAA and other research centers.
Ozone Research
NOAA Research has, for many years, played a vital role in studying the layer. For instance, atthe Chemical Sciences Division of ESRL, researchers are conducting laboratory and field experiments and designing computer models to study this issue. One of the primary missions of ESRL's Global MonitoringDivision is to observe and understand the ozone layer through accurate, long-term measurements of ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, greenhouse gases, and solar radiation.
Human Affection
Human beings...