Nature

It was found that the ozone layer warms the Earth by 3.5 degrees more

The earth's ozone layer raises the average temperature of the planet by 3.5 degrees. An article about this has been published on arXiv.

The Earth receives the main part of energy from the sun's rays, and what part of them is reflected in space, and what part is absorbed by the planet, depends on the composition and characteristics of the atmosphere. The same applies to the infrared radiation emitted by the Earth, which can be reflected by clouds and the atmosphere. As a result, the properties of the atmosphere play a decisive role in the formation of conditions on the planet.

Russell Deitrick from the University of Victoria in Canada and his colleagues found that the ozone layer plays an important role not only in blocking ultraviolet rays, but also contributes to the creation of a warm climate. To study the effects of the ozone layer, the researchers used a set of computer models of the Earth's climate. They measured the amount of ozone in the upper layers of the atmosphere and allowed the temperature to reach equilibrium. They found that the presence of ozone makes the Earth warmer, raising the average temperature by 3.5 Kelvin. If the ozone layer were to disappear, it would have disastrous consequences for the climate.

The main effect of ozone deficiency will be the cooling of the upper layers of the stratosphere. Colder air cannot hold as much moisture, so the stratosphere will become drier. Water vapor is an important greenhouse gas, so without it the overall greenhouse effect of the Earth would be reduced.

In addition to changes in the Earth's temperature, ozone deficiency will have a significant impact on the climate in general. The lack of ozone and, as a result, the cooling of the stratosphere will destabilize that layer of the atmosphere, preventing the formation of clouds. This will cause clouds to form only at lower and higher altitudes.

In addition, some eddy currents will strengthen near the equator, while others will weaken near the poles. This would have serious consequences for seasonal weather phenomena at all latitudes.

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