Does CFC Theory Support Ozone Destruction?
According to published calculations, chlorine from CFCs should be effective in diminishing ozone in the upper layers of the stratosphere, around 40 km. But the bulk of the ozone exists between 20 and 25 km, in the lower stratosphere. Both theory and measurements suggests that hydrogen-containing molecules, not chlorine, are the main destruction agent for ozone in the lower stratosphere. If this argument is correct, then we should consider the possibility that human activities other than CFC production could be affecting the ozone layer. A theory published in 1971 suggested that manmade methane could affect stratospheric ozone by increasing the concentration of water vapor in the stratosphere. Such a long-term increase in stratospheric water vapor has just been detected and reported in the journal Nature. Increased air traffic is yet another mechanism for injecting water vapor into the lower stratosphere. 4. Is There an Increasing Trend in Ultraviolet Radiation at the Earths Surface? In
