Image Credits: NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center
By WUWT Regular “Just The Facts”
On the heels of Andrew Dessler’s Ozone Hole tweet, we have from the BBC:
“Researchers from the University of East Anglia have discovered evidence of four new gases that can destroy ozone and are getting into the atmosphere from as yet unidentified sources.”
“Scientists have identified four new man-made gases that are contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer.
Two of the gases are accumulating at a rate that is causing concern among researchers.”
“Other scientists acknowledged that while the current concentrations of these gases are small and they don’t present an immediate concern, work would have to be done to identify their origin.
“This paper highlights that ozone depletion is not yet yesterday’s story,” said Prof Piers Forster, from the University of Leeds.
“The concentrations found in this study are tiny. Nevertheless, this paper reminds us we need to be vigilant and continually monitor the atmosphere for even small amounts of these gases creeping up, either through accidental or unplanned emissions.
“Of the four species identified, CFC-113a seems the most worrying as there is a very small but growing emission source somewhere, maybe from agricultural insecticides. We should find it and take it out of production.”
The paper “Newly detected ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere” Laube et al., paywalled, can be found here:
“Ozone-depleting substances emitted through human activities cause large-scale damage to the stratospheric ozone layer, and influence global climate. Consequently, the production of many of these substances has been phased out; prominent examples are the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and their intermediate replacements, the hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). So far, seven types of CFC and six types of HCFC have been shown to contribute to stratospheric ozone destruction1, 2. Here, we report the detection and quantification of a further three CFCs and one HCFC.”
“Our observations on air samples collected in remote regions of the atmosphere show the presence of four previously undetected ozone-depleting substances (ODSs). We have identified and quantified CFC-112 (CFCl2CFCl2), CFC-112a (CF2ClCCl3), CFC-113a (CF3CCl3) and HCFC-133a (CF3CH2Cl) in the atmosphere (Fig. 1). We have reconstructed their past abundances from air extracted from deep polar firn, which can provide a natural archive of atmospheric composition up to about a century back in time5. Our firn air measurements suggest that all four newly reported compounds are anthropogenic (see also Supplementary Information), with insignificant atmospheric abundances before the 1960s.”
For reference, the images the head of this article show the current Northern “Ozone Hole” within the Northern Polar Vortex, at 10 hPa/mb – Approximately 31,000 meters (101,700 feet). Draw your own conclusions…
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The Ozone-CFC Debacle: Hasty Action, Shaky Science – http://heartland.org/policy-documents/ozone-cfc-debacle-hasty-action-shaky-science
Sounds like another strawman argument.
“Shaka, when the walls fell”.
I guess when you know the global warming meme is dying, it is time to start a new paranoia fest for the greenies.
“Other scientists acknowledged that while the current concentrations of these gases are small and they don’t present an immediate concern, work would have to be done to identify their origin.”
In other words: “We’re for sale. Give us lots of money and we’ll point the finger at some aspect of civilization and ramp up the threat. Act now and we’ll throw in a hockey stick for free.”
They say could be from agricultural insecticides but what about resins from carbon fiber resins from wind turbine blades and solar panel manufacturing new types of Industry with new chemicals
Obviously CO2 is no longer the gravy train it once was. Time to rustle up a new bogeyman (or six.)
There are many types of men chemicals also from pharmaceutical companies
I went looking for the underlying BS and found it in the last line: agricultural insecticides.
“Two of the gases are accumulating at a rate that is causing concern among researchers.”
Could that rate be ‘insignificant’, as in:- insufficient to justify numerous research grants?
Read “UEA” and stopped reading. How many think that credible science is done there? Perhaps there is, but if it says “UEA” on anything, I hesitate to read it except for entertainment purposes. Even scanning it, the BS meter works overtime. I wonder if they realize how much damage they have done to their reputation?
memo to staff: People aren’t buying the whole CO2 thing any more…..we need to come up with at least four more dangerous man-made gasses
Draw your own conclusions…
I have, and it’s not very flattering to those pushing this (yet another) scam.
I’m catastrophied out and don’t believe one iota of what they claim and they only have themselves to blame.
Somehow, I don’t think that this dog is gonna hunt. Back to the drawing-board, grant junkies!
In other words, our hysterical bleatings and banning of Freon didn’t stop people from being able to have air conditioning, the plebes need to suffer for Mother Gaia, they were too darned smart and found a way to do it without old Freon. We’ll fix their wagon, and their little dog too!
““Researchers from the University of East Anglia have discovered evidence of four new gases that can destroy ozone and are getting into the atmosphere”.
Whack-a-moley science. NASA reports ozone hole is not going away a month ago and UEA comes out with a paper discovering “new” substances – suspiciously all Chlorfluorocarbons. Hmm … this is a bit over the top. The rapid response team is good!
With the complex nature of the chemistry involving UV light turning loose individual Cl atoms, how do these guys know that they aren’t products of the reaction with the old CFC. What if they are natural. Seawater contains some fluorine (<1ppm) and chlorine is known to be abundant enough from salt spray from the sea to put HCl adrift. Add the "newly discovered" organic chemical haze from forests to the mix….
I think O-hole alarmists have been getting the jitters recently with, despite 35yrs of UV eating up CFCs the O-hole just won't go away and CFCs really should have been significantly reduced by now to show some progress. Okay, consensadores, we got to find more bad, secret ozone destroyers. When the hockey stick was broken, new hockey stick papers popped out like pop corn; when we had 1/6th of a century of no warming, we started getting papers on hot spots whizzing around the world to fast to keep track of and the devious heat also started heading for the ocean deeps. Oh and Dessler, it appears you didn't save our lives after all! Were still going to be doomed.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/03/08/claim-what-would-have-happened-to-the-ozone-layer-if-chlorofluorocarbons-cfcs-had-not-been-regulated/
drivel
CFC-113a seems the most worrying as there is a very small but growing emission source somewhere, maybe from agricultural insecticides
And THERE is the target of this BS.
The O-hole has remained pretty much the same for all the years of observation; I’d say it’s a natural phenomenon due to, oh say, magnetic fields, particle streams and suchlike.
lets see: ban Agricultural pesticides, cause global famine, blame climate skeptics.
Target mans ability to safely store food.. Create Food.. Just more of the same from these slugs.
similar to: ban nuclear energy, cause global warming, blame fossil fuel industry
“The researchers are concerned”. How the liberal media loves the University of East Angliaphile.
My guess the chemicals are emitted from the manufacture of compact fluorescent light bulbs.
I’m pretty sure that research grants are causing the ozone hole. Stop funding ozone hole research and you’ll never hear another peep about that pesky ozone hole.
“Of the four species identified, CFC-113a seems the most worrying as there is a very small but growing emission source somewhere,
Yeah… like maybe someone somewhere still makes the stuff by the barrel? Nah, couldn’t be. If that existed, it would be run by mad scientists in a secret lab with security guards and and anyone who found out about it would be shot and dropped in the ocean with cement boots to keep the info out of the public. You’d never be able to just google it and buy it by the barrel right off the internet, that would never happen….
http://sporlan.en.alibaba.com/product/520950722-50102950/CFC_113A_Refrigerant_Gas_Sale.html
Has anybody ever measured the amount of CFCs or chlorine actually in the “ozone hole” over time?