Earth’s Invisible Shield Rebounds: The Remarkable 2024 Ozone Recovery
In 2024, the ozone hole over the Antarctic showed a notable reduction in size, ranking as the seventh smallest since monitoring began post-Montreal Protocol.
This improvement is credited to ongoing reductions in CFC emissions and enhanced atmospheric dynamics that transport ozone southward.
Ozone Layer Recovery Progress in 2024
In 2024, the annual hole in the ozone layer over Earth’s southern pole was relatively small compared to previous years. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimate that, if current trends continue, the ozone layer could fully recover by 2066.
This year’s peak ozone depletion season, which lasts from September 7 to October 13, saw the ozone hole rank as the seventh smallest since recovery efforts began in 1992, following the Montreal Protocol—a global agreement to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals.
The ozone-depleted region over Antarctica averaged nearly 20 million square kilometers (8 million square miles) this year, covering an area almost three times the size of the contiguous United States. On September 28, the hole reached its largest single-day extent of 22.4 million square kilometers (8.5 million square miles).
he map above shows the size and shape of the ozone hole over the South Pole on the day of its 2024 maximum extent. Moderate ozone losses (orange) are visible amid areas of more potent ozone losses (red). Scientists describe the ozone “hole” as the area in which ozone concentrations drop below the historical threshold of 220 Dobson units.
What Is a Dobson Unit?
The Dobson Unit (DU) is the standard measurement for ozone concentration in Earth’s atmosphere. It quantifies the total amount of ozone in a column of air from the surface to the edge of space. One Dobson Unit equals a 0.01-millimeter layer of pure ozone at standard temperature and pressure. For example, 300 DU would form a 3-millimeter ozone layer if compressed. Scientists use Dobson Units to observe ozone health globally, providing insight into seasonal thinning and recovery patterns.
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