September 17, 2001

SATELLITES SPOT DEVELOPING ANTARCTIC OZONE "HOLE"

New satellite images show the depleted region of ozone known as the ozone "hole" that develops each year over Antarctica has reached about the same magnitude as those of the past several years. This year's preliminary satellite data show that as of early September, ozone hole area was in excess of 20 million square kilometers (8 million square miles), about twice the size of the contiguous United States. Last year the geographic area covered by the ozone hole was one of the largest on record and ozone depletion started earlier than usual. By early October, additional data will provide a more complete picture of the extent and intensity of this year's ozone hole over Antarctica. Images are available at: http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/20010917ozonelayer.html

This text derived from http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/20010917ozonelayer.html

Recommend this Article to a Friend

Back to: News