Geoengineering and Ozone Monitoring

Scientists in US and Canada highlighted the need for better monitoring of ozone as regards the ozone layer. The ozone layer is useful for protection from harmful ultra violet radiation and continues to make news because of rippling depletion usually observed over Antarctica and Arctic.

 

Talks about contribution of the ozone hole (or a large depleted part of the ozone layer) to climate change is also growing. Climate change is said to be primarily caused by global warming and is responsible according to studies for most anomalies in weather conditions experienced of recent.

 

There is a conscious global effort to protect the ozone layer with roots in the Montreal Protocol. This treaty is largely adhered to and considered a success. Need for ozone monitoring includes use of new substances that are not covered by this treaty, existing pollution before the treaty and presence of CO₂ in the stratosphere amongst others.

 

Ozone monitoring is certainly not new because it is continuously studied in many atmospheric laboratories around the world. Monitoring here concerns hubris over the Montreal Protocol and new factors in relation to ozone increase and depletion in the stratosphere.

 

Greenhouse (GHG) emissions are on the rise, atmospheric wind and other air motion sweeps gases up and around in the upper atmosphere. This intrusion into the ozone layer is part of what is canvassed to be checked closely to know by what extent it is affected.

 

The ozone layer (or say most ozone gas) found in the earth’s atmosphere is in the stratosphere, about 90% precisely. GHGs that trap heat to warm the earth surface are found in the troposphere. The troposphere and stratosphere are next to each other in ascending order from the earth surface.

 

This closeness submits many possibilities with intrusion on both sides. Ozone in the troposphere acts as a GHG trapping heat to warm the earth; CO₂ in high concentration in the stratosphere allows more radiation of heat back to space contrasting what it does in the troposphere thus cooling the stratosphere.

 

The ozone layer protects planet earth from a series of reactions involving ultraviolet light; these reactions need searing heat effect of sunlight, CO₂ at the stratosphere reflect back some of the heat needed affecting in some way equilibrium factors necessary for reactions there.

 

Since anthropogenic GHG is on the rise and a treaty for caution is gloomy, GHGs may harm the ozone layer over time. Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) aspect of geoengineering gives hope of decrease in this direction in future.

 

Ozone monitoring as advocated should involve new directions and geoengineering for the ozone layer should not be an exception. Ozone layer geoengineering involves the use of oxygen, an active gas for protection in the ozone layer. Oxygen is more stable than ozone and can be transported in large quantities.

 

Oxygen is used in rocket engines, it is usually stored as liquid and used as gas in the combustion chamber where it will vaporize and mixed to thrust rockets. Oxygen discharge to depleted parts of the ozone layer should field in options scientists have for the ozone layer. Monitoring should involve studies that seek this and also check by how much it will fill and how less it will be affected by conditions there.