51: Protecting the Ozone Layer Flashcards
What is a polar vortex?
large area of cold air surrounding the Earth’s poles
What happens when the polar vortex breaks?
high altitude clouds form and these clouds contain air crystals that accumulate CFCs, the chlorine separates the CFCs
- when sunlight arrives in spring, chlorine begins to destroy ozone
Why is the polar vortex in the southern hemisphere and not in the Arctic?
they have different climates
- temperatures in the Arctic usually not that cold and ice clouds don’t form
What is the reason why southern and northern hemisphere have different climates?
due to the geography of the north and south pole
What is in the north pole?
water, no continents, no land mass
What is in the south pole?
continent, Antartica (big piece of land)
Are there ozone holes in the arctic?
occasionally we see a little ozone hole in the Arctic, occurs in the spring
What is the montreal protocol?
1987, is an international treaty that phases out the use of ozone depleting CFCs
- it was signed by more than 70 countries, including the US
What was the goal of the montreal protocol?
reduce CFC production 20% by 1993 and 50% by 1998
What has the montreal protocol achieved?
the amendments have strengthened the datelines for the elimination of CFCs and regulations of other ozone depleting chemicals.
What is an alternative to CFCs?
a lot of the success of the Montreal protocol is due to the fact that CFCs were easy to replace
- in refrigerators and ACs, CFCs have been replaced by hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
What is bad about hydrofluorocarbons?
HFCs are greenhouse gases
Has the montreal protocol helped decrease the ozone hole?
ozone hole decreased with the Montreal protocol
- remember: CFCs last a looong time in the stratosphere
