Ecomare

Ozone is an oxygen compound found in small quantities in the atmosphere. Ozone (O₃) forms from a chemical reaction with oxygen (O₂) in the atmosphere, triggered by sun radiation. Almost all the ozone in the atmosphere is found between an elevation of 15 and 45 kilometers. This is the so-called ozone layer, and it blocks a large amount of the ultra violet rays from the sun. The ozone layer has become thinner in the southern hemisphere, increasing the amount of UV ray penetration. Not only does this affect people (increase in the number of skin cancer cases), it also affects nature (including the phytoplankton in sea). Variations in the thickness of the ozone layer have been reported in the northern hemisphere. It seems that the ozone layer is slowly recovering since the use of damaging propellants has been further limited. At the present rate, a complete recovery will not occur before 2060.