the data collected over the years clearly confirm depletion of ozone in the stratosphere. what do scientists still need to learn about the ozone hole?

Answer:

Ozone is the layer (blanket) on the atmosphere that protects lives on earth, from the harmful incoming ultraviolet solar radiation. This are UV rays can damage the skins of humans. It is denoted by O₃ and is located at the stratosphere.

This ozone layer has been significantly affected due to the emission of green house gases. The use of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), methane gas (CH₄) as well as emission of carbon and sulfur has depleted the ozone layer.

Scientists have studied and examined why this depletion is going on and have suggested many steps to avoid ozone depletion and are still trying to find out the best solution to stop this ozone depletion. The use of products that contains CFC and releases methane gas must be avoided.

The ozone depletion is observed to be maximum in Antarctica because the environment there is suitable for the events that leads top the depletion of the ozone layer.

Ozone is simply a molecule consisting of 3 oxygen atoms, which reacts strongly with other molecules. Ozone is created in the stratosphere when high energy uv radiation causes on O2 molecule to split. The free oxygen atoms collide and react with other O2 molecules to form O3.

Production is highest where the solar uv is the greatest eg near the tropics, but once created, the ozone is then circulated towards the poles by the atmosphere. The amount of ozone in the stratosphere can vary with location, season and even day to day climatic conditions.

The process of ozone creation is what makes the O3 in the atmosphere very effective at shielding the Earth from harmful uv radiation, which can cause many biological problems, such as skin cancer. However, due to its high reactivity, the uv found in the tropospher at ground level can aslo be dangerous as a toxic pollutant which is harmful to plants and lung tissue, and is a major cause of smog.