Measurements Indicate "Ozone Hole" is Natural

By Jay Reynolds
Copyright 1998 Veritas News Service
July 12, 1998


A new study in Geophysical Rresearch Letters (July 15, 1998) reports measurements by satellite indicate a localized and natural source of BrO, a known ozone depleting substance, in arctic regions especially over the Hudson Bay area.

The measurements show a springtime "plume" of bromine, which destroys ozone in the arctic troposphere. If mixing of this naturally produced chemical occurs into the stratosphere, it could be the source of the widely held belief that the stratospheric "Ozone Hole", found in polar regions during springtime, is caused by manmade refrigerant chemicals.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Bremen, Germany. They make the following statements:

It appears that natural sources of bromine within the Arctic and Antarctic may indeed be the source of the widely held belief in the "ozone hole" hypothesis.

So, will we now see a repeal of the Montreal Protocol, which is currently intending to very shortly ban production of these refrigerants and mandate we all buy new equipment to handle new refrigerants?

Don't hold your breath.

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