Catastrophic impact on the Earth: Scientists tell what will happen if the ozone layer disappears
The evolution of the Earth's climate includes many components. A recent study has revealed the importance of the ozone layer for the temperature of our planet. Without it, the Earth would be 3.5 degrees Celsius colder.
Various feedback and forcing mechanisms play an important role in stabilizing and shaping the Earth's average temperature.
At a simple level, we receive solar radiation. Part of this radiation is reflected from the upper atmosphere, and the rest reaches the Earth's surface. Some of this energy is absorbed by the atmosphere and the earth. Another part of the radiation is reflected back into space. But a certain amount of this radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere again, which creates the greenhouse effect and increases the temperature of the Earth's surface.
However, this is only a simplified model. In reality, our planet's temperature and climate depend on many factors: various molecules in the atmosphere, the ocean, and atmospheric circulation systems.
The ozone layer at the top of the atmosphere plays a crucial role in blocking ultraviolet radiation from the sun, but most climate models ignore its influence on Earth's climate research.
However, scientists who published an article in the preprint journal arXiv investigated the influence of the ozone layer. The ozone layer has not always been present. Before the emergence of life, there was practically no ozone in the atmosphere, and the Earth existed for billions of years with a minimal ozone layer.
Only recently it has been stabilized at modern levels. While molecular oxygen, which makes up a large proportion of the atmosphere, has little effect on climate, the ozone layer plays a significant role.
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The researchers conducted a series of simulations of the Earth's climate, changing the amount of ozone in the upper atmosphere, and studied the effect on the Earth's surface temperature.
They found that the presence of ozone affects the surface temperature, increasing it by an average of 3.5 degrees Celsius. The loss of the ozone layer, regardless of the reasons, will have a catastrophic impact on the climate.
The lack of ozone will also lead to stratosphere cooling. Colder air is not able to retain as much moisture, which will lead to a decrease in the greenhouse effect.
The lack of ozone will have a serious impact on the climate in general. It will also lead to the destabilization of the stratosphere and cirrus clouds. This will cause changes in cloud formation, which could affect weather conditions at different latitudes.
The Earth's atmosphere is a complex system, and the results of the study emphasize the importance of each of its components.
As a reminder, archaeologists excavating in the Southwark area of south London have discovered a unique mausoleum from Roman times with well-preserved walls and floor.
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