From: strat@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Steve Davis)
Newsgroups: talk.environment
Subject: Re: Ozone hole farce? (was Re: Ozone problem burns Politically Correct)
Date: 9 Apr 1992 15:00:21 -0500
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: matt.ksu.ksu.edu
Keywords: rumor science credibility responsibility

jjh00@outs.ccc.amdahl.com (Joel J. Hanes) writes:

>>galster@plains.NoDak.edu (Dwight Galster) writes in rec.nude:
>>
>> The general idea is that
>>ozone is highly variable, that holes appear and disappear frequently, and that
>>the big hole recently publicized may have been the result of a volcano.

The problem with talking about the Ozone layer is that all the hype
about it has been compressed down to sound bites spoken by people who
don't know what they are talking about.  I was very confused about this
whole Ozone thing until I happened to meet a scientist from Latin
America who has become part of the NASA research team on the Ozone
layer.  Over the course of about a week, he pointed out these seven
ideas:

1)  The ozone layer is variable.  It is a lot like the clouds.  Some
times it's there and some times it's so thin that it might as well NOT
be there.

2)  There isn't a "hole" in the ozone layer.  There are only places
where ozone depletion (sp?) has caused an impact on the enviornment.

3)  The thickness of the ozone layer has nothing to do with the
environment in and of itself.  Neither does UV penetration.  It all has
to do with the ANGLE that UV light passes through the Ozone layer.  You
see, when UV passes through straight overhead, more of it passes
through the atmosphere to the surface.  When it comes through at an
angle, there is hardly any effect.

4)  The dangers of UV radiation *HAVE* increased, especially in areas
of the world where the sun is above a certain point over the horizon
for more than n hours every day.

The way to tell if you are in danger is to look at your shadow.  If
your shadow is longer than you are tall, you are safe.  If the shadow
is shorter than you are tall, you are in danger.  This may be seen as a
sweeping generalization, but it is the easiest way to remember UV
safety.

5)  The ozone layers, in some areas, are thinner than usual, even
though the thickness varies from time-to-time anyway.  The thick areas
aren't as thick, and the thin areas are thinner than usual.

6)  Volcanic activity from last year will actually COUNTERACT global
warming (in the short term), rather than increase it.  Even though the
human damage to our environment increases, the signs of this damage
will decrease because of all volcanic activity.  However, as Joel
points out below, the overall effects are very negative.

It is very ironic to me that the same volcanic activity will 
cause some people to question all this brew over global warming,
by reducing the actual effects on global temperature... and at
the SAME TIME damage our environment.

7)  If we (humans) continue on our course of environmentally
devestating industrial practices, we will no longer have enough ozone
layer to protect some parts of the world.  Not ALL the world will
suffer... mostly equatorial regions and the southern hemesphere.

>3.  High-atmosphere particulates and sulfates from Mt. Pinatubo
>    are exacerbating the problem, by providing reaction sites
>    at which Cl destroys ozone.

See my point number 6 above.

> 7. The governments of the world are showing a surprising ability
>    to recognize seriously bad global news, and react to it.

>I've seen the NASA Antarctic data.  It's scary.

I haven't seen the data itself, but I have heard much about it.
Let's say this was moved over North America.  The controversy
would end.

>Given the severity of the situation, Mr. Galster's posting is
>at best irresponsible.  His baseless accusation that NASA
>scientists are fudging or witholding data, and sustaining a false
>crisis in order to secure continued funding, is comtemptible.

In this, I agree totally.  I've met too many of the people involved
in the actual research to believe they are doing anything less than
telling the truth.

Stratocaster

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Newsgroups: talk.environment