Heinrich Terahertz podcast: How humanity was able to solve the problem of ozone depletion
Yana Virolainen, Senior Research Associate in the Department of Atmospheric Physics at St Petersburg University and Researcher in the Ozone Layer and Upper Atmosphere Research Laboratory at St Petersburg University, was the guest of the 13th episode of the popular science podcast "Heinrich Terahertz". She spoke about how to deal with ozone depletion and weather changes, and the impact of sunspots and solar wind on our lives.
The ozone layer is a region of Earth’s stratosphere at an altitude of 20 to 40 kilometres with the highest content of ozone, a molecule containing three oxygen atoms formed naturally through the interaction of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation with molecular oxygen (O2). The ozone layer protects living organisms on our planet from the damaging effects of UV rays. Moreover, it was only approximately 400 million years ago when the ozone layer became sufficiently strong to allow for organisms to survive on land, without any shielding from water.
However, the growth of industrial production and the release of saturated hydrocarbons, better known as Freons, in the 20th century led to a 6 % to 7 % reduction in the ozone layer, while a 15 % reduction would mean the return to the state of 400 million year ago. That amount of ozone is the threshold level for living organisms. In such a case, they would face a slow and painful death.
Nonetheless, the ozone depletion problem has been almost entirely solved. Observations and researchers’ statements raised serious environmental concerns among politicians and the public. As a result, the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed. At present, it is ratified by all countries worldwide. The ozone-depleting chemicals have been gradually phased out; and over the last ten years, there have been a trend of decreasing ozone depletion and the ozone layer gradually healing.
Yana Virolainen, Senior Research Associate in the Department of Atmospheric Physics of St Petersburg University, Researcher in the Ozone Layer and Upper Atmosphere Research Laboratory at St Petersburg University
According to Yana Virolainen, researchers hope that it will be possible to solve the problem of weather and climate change in similar way. Due to human activity (emissions from the burning of fossil fuels and toxic waste), weather changes began to affect the whole planet. In some places, average annual temperatures increased; in other places, frequent and heavy rainfall occurred; yet, in other areas, there were trends towards higher aridity. Currently, the research community is working to ensure that protocols to reduce hazardous emissions are adhered to so that the problem of climate change can be solved as well.
The Ozone Layer and Upper Atmosphere Research Laboratory was established at St Petersburg University in 2021 as part of a project supported by a mega-grant from the Government of the Russian Federation. The laboratory focuses on research and education in forecasting how the ozone layer is going to develop in the medium-term perspective (up to one month) and long-term perspective (up to 200 years) as a result of undergoing natural and anthropogenic factors, climate change, and space weather events. Recently, the researchers reported that, according to their observations, the amount of ozone-depleting gases in St Petersburg has decreased.