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Atmospheric temperature calculated for ozone depletions

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Abstract

THE proposal that the Earth's protective ozone layer is being depleted by free chlorine produced by the photolytic decomposition of chlorofluoromethanes (CFCl3 and CF2Cl2, R11 and R12) has been the subject of much discussion and controversy1–3. Although the effects of ozone removal on human health is a prime concern, attention has also been directed towards the possible influence on the stratospheric temperature profile4 with associated consequences for the climate. In previous papers4,6 it was shown that uniform depletion of stratospheric ozone leads to cooling of the stratosphere. To obtain a realistic bound on the maximum extent of stratospheric cooling, we have computed the thermal effects resulting from model D of Wofsy et al.5 for ozone depletion caused by chlorofluoromethane decomposition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics Department, Research Laboratories, General Motor Corporation, Warren, Michigan, 48090

    RUTH A. RECK

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  1. RUTH A. RECK
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RECK, R. Atmospheric temperature calculated for ozone depletions. Nature 263, 116–117 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/263116a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/263116a0

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