BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)

Subject: BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 Mar 05 - 11:00 PM

Here's an interesting article on a new worry. (Incidentally, US political figure James Baker is calling for attention to global warming. About time.)

Ozone Layer Could Develop Hole over Britain, Scientists Warn
    By Geoffrey Lean
    The Independent U.K.

    Sunday 06 March 2005

"Destruction of protective gas means greater risk of skin cancer and cataracts. Geoffrey Lean reports.
    "Scientists will tomorrow fly a spy plane high into the world's protective ozone layer, amid increasing fears that it may be about to develop a hole over Britain and northern Europe.

    "The old Russian Cold War plane will take off from near Munich in a EU-funded mission to check reports that the stratosphere over the northern hemisphere faces rapid ozone destruction over the next few weeks. If the hole developed, people living under it would be at increased risk of skin cancer and cataracts, the main cause of blindness."

Off Into the Wild Blue Yonder

Subject: RE: BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)
From: Bill D
Date: 08 Mar 05 - 12:15 AM

sorry, Ebbie..only the details and size of the potential hole are new. The ozone question has been an issue for years now...it has led to changing the entire type of refrigerants used in air conditioners, etc.

Obviously, lots more work to do and studies to see the relation to causes and solutions.

Subject: RE: BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)
From: Ebbie
Date: 08 Mar 05 - 01:07 AM

Ah, but Bill, this one is over the United Kingdom, not the Antarctic. This is new.

Subject: RE: BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 08 Mar 05 - 02:45 AM

As most of the industry is in the northern hemisphere, how come the ozone hole that we have been worrying about for so long, is over the South Pole?

Doug C

Subject: RE: BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 08 Mar 05 - 01:01 PM

"As most of the industry is in the northern hemisphere, how come the ozone hole that we have been worrying about for so long, is over the South Pole?"

In laymans terms, the atmosphere spreads the agents that deplete the ozone layer about globe fairly evenly. They remain active far longer in cold areas. The Antartic is far colder than the Artic, so the ozone hole is bigger there.

And if you want a preview, go to New Zealand. Clean air, and a thin ozone layer mean factor 30 sunscreen and hats as standard for everyone.

PM if you want more details on atmospheric chemistry. You don't.

Subject: RE: BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)
From: Bill D
Date: 08 Mar 05 - 02:10 PM

all I was saying, Ebbie, is that "the details' are new: in this case, as the article and Bunnahabhain note, colder weather 'may' mean some problems for other areas. As a fair-skinned descendent of Scots/Irish, I have spent my whole life being careful of the sun...

Subject: RE: BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 08 Mar 05 - 02:18 PM

.....the atmosphere spreads the agents that deplete the ozone layer about globe fairly evenly. They remain active far longer in cold areas.


So .... global warming is the answer to the ozone problem!

Subject: RE: BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)
From: allanwill
Date: 08 Mar 05 - 07:24 PM

Just finished reading Michael Crichton's "State of Fear".

I guess he agrees with America's (and Australia's) non-signing of the Kyoto protocol!

Allan

Subject: RE: BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)
From: GUEST,TIA
Date: 08 Mar 05 - 09:32 PM

Rush Limbaugh et al. are quite fond of intentionaly misunderstanding science.

Ozone at ground level is very bad (fries the alveoli of the very young and very old). Ozone in the stratosphere is good (blocks UV). Limbaugh et al. say "well, make up your mind is it good or bad?"

Shit heads.

Similarly, global warming at sea level is very bad (70% of the earth's coral has died in the last decade, yes, look it the fuck up, 70 PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S CORAL HAS DIED IN THE LAST DECADE). Oh, but at cold temperatures, cholorofluorocarbons persist longer in the stratosphere, so make up your mind - is global warming good or bad?

Shit heads.

A little like "heat is good because it cooks food, but heat is bad because it burns flesh when applied by napalm, so is heat good or bad you wishy-washy liberal"?

Shit heads.

(Not necessarily you Doug Chadwick - tongue-in-cheek is a possibility?).

Subject: RE: BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 09 Mar 05 - 12:13 AM

Yeth, toug firby ib tch....

Just a minute. Let me re-arrange my mouth.

Yes, tongue firmly in cheek.

Doug C

Subject: RE: BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Mar 05 - 12:25 AM

It appears to be a global COOLING - not a warming - that is contributing to this winter's pecular weather.

BURN MORE FUEL - Save the Planet from FREEZING!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 09 Mar 05 - 02:19 AM

The atmosphere is not a simple system, but an intensely complex one.

One effect of 'warming' (i.e. increasing the total amount of energy in) the atmosphere is to increase the total amount of energy in the system (doh!) - this leads to more turbulent air flow. Also as the polar ice melts, the coolness (lack of heat!) liberated mixes with the warmer air - thus driving the turbulence.

Thus we will get both higher and lower peak temperatures for some time until a new 'static equilibrium' is achieved. More storms, more rain, more snow in some parts, more dry weather in others. We currently have a Category 5 Cyclone rumbling about the North end of Queensland about to pass near Cooktown - these used to be very rare - Cyclone Tracy in 1974 was a previous example.

Subject: RE: BS: Looking for Answers (Ozone Layer)
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 09 Mar 05 - 04:02 AM

Back when I was working and the department photocopiers were one of my responsibilities (nightmares!) I had read about 1) the dangers of the loss of the ozone layer and 2) the dangers of ozone from photopiers in enclosed offices.
My ideal solution would have been to send the ******y things into space to help repair the ozone layer!

RtS