Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
| Domain | Definition |
Environment | Destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer which shields the earth from ultraviolet radiation harmful to life. This destruction of ozone is caused by the breakdown of certain chlorine and/or bromine containing compounds (chlorofluorocarbons or halons), which break down when they reach the stratosphere and then catalytically destroy ozone molecules. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Since the ozone layer absorbs ultraviolet radiation, which in turn causes skin cancer, ozone depletion has been cause for concern, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere.
Ozone in the Earth's atmosphere is generally created by ultraviolet light striking oxygen molecules, which consist of two oxygen atoms (O2), creating two single oxygen atoms, known as atomic oxygen. The atomic oxygen then combines with a molecule of O2 to create ozone, O3. The ozone molecule is also unstable and when hit by ultraviolet light it splits into a molecule of O2 and an atom of atomic oxygen, a continuing process called the ozone-oxygen cycle.
Ozone can be destroyed by atomic chlorine, fluorine or bromine in the atmosphere. These elements are found in certain stable compounds, especially chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which may find their way to the stratosphere and there be liberated by the action of ultraviolet light. Most importantly, the chlorine atoms so generated destroy ozone molecules in a catalytic cycle. In this cycle a single chlorine atom would keep on destroying ozone forever, were it not for reactions that remove chlorine atoms from this cycle by forming reservoir species such as hydrochloric acid and chlorine nitrate. The reactivation of atomic chlorine from these reservoir species is normally slow, but is enhanced by the presence of polar stratospheric clouds which appear during arctic winters, leading to a strong seasonal cycle in ozone hole formation.
Substantial reductions of up to 50% in the ozone column observed in the austral (i.e. southern hemisphere) spring over Antarctica and first reported in 1985 (Farman et al 1985) are continuing (SORG 1990).
Coupled with this there has been a statistically significant downward trend in wintertime total ozone over the northern hemisphere of about 2-3% per decade for the past 30 years, although summertime ozone levels have remained approximately constant (Frederick 1990).
Most atmospheric scientists and environmental advocacy groups attribute a role to human-made substances, particularly Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), in the ozone depletion, because a rise in CFC production has accompanied the ozone depletion and because a plausible chemical mechanism for CFC's role in ozone depletion has been proposed.
As a result, a worldwide ban on CFCs, the Montreal Protocol, was signed and entered into force in 1989.
Some atmospheric scientists (for instance Fred Singer, founder of SEPP) and industry-sponsored advocacy groups deny a link between CFC's and ozone depletion.
Links:
Observations
Explanations
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Ozone depletion."
Synonym: OZONE DEPLETIONSynonym: Ozone. (additional references) |
Crosswords: OZONE DEPLETION |
| Specialty definitions using "OZONE DEPLETION": CFCs, Chlorofluorocarbons ♦ Dobson Unit ♦ Halons ♦ Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer ♦ nitric acid trihydrate ♦ polar vortex. (references) |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Possible effects of ozone depletion, which reduces our protection from UV light, on the immune reaction to infectious organisms in the equatorial parts of the world. (references) | |
Business | Despite the fact that national production plays an important role in the total market, new technology, especially the development of new refrigerants that meet international standards for ozone depletion, should have a positive effect on U.S. export shipments of air conditioning equipment and components. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
ozone depletion | 271 |
ozone depletion cause | 17 |
solution to ozone depletion | 9 |
ozone depletion skin cancer | 6 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "OZONE DEPLETION"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | ozonsvind (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction), ozonnedbrydning (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction), ozonformindskelse (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | ozonvermindering (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction), ozonreductie (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction), uitputting van ozon. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | otsonin väheneminen (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction), otsonikato (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
French | réduction de l'ozone (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction), diminution de l'ozone (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction), baisse de l'ozone (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction), appauvrissement en ozone, appauvrissement de l'ozone (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
German | Ozonverarmung (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction), Ozonabnahme (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction), Ozonabbau. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | κένωση όζοντος (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | impoverimento dell'ozono. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | ozoneay epletionday diminuição primaveril do ozono antártico (spring ozone decline, springtime ozone depletion), diminuição da camada de ozono observada na primavera por cima da Antárctida (spring ozone decline, springtime ozone depletion). (various references) disminución de la capa de ozono (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction). (various references) ozonnedbrytning (ozone decline, ozone decrease, ozone diminution, ozone reduction). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "d-e-e-e-i-l-n-n-o-o-o-p-t-z" | |
-3 letters: needlepoint. | |
-5 letters: depletion, diplotene. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Synonyms 2. Crosswords 3. Usage: Commercial 4. Quotations: Non-fiction | 5. Expressions: Internet 6. Translations: Modern 7. Anagrams 8. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
