New Study Debunks Severe Ozone Hole Claims in the Tropics

A recent study led by Jayanarayanan Kuttippurath of IIT-Kharagpur, in collaboration with international researchers, examined 42 years of data and found no severe ozone hole in the tropical stratosphere. Their findings contradict previous claims that suggested a potential health threat to half the world's tropical population.

In a significant finding, a study led by a senior professor from IIT-Kharagpur, in collaboration with international researchers, has dismissed earlier claims of a 'severe ozone hole' in the tropical stratosphere.

Titled 'No Severe Ozone Depletion in the Tropical Stratosphere in Recent Decades,' the study reassures that there is no significant ozone depletion in the tropics which could pose a health threat. The study, led by Jayanarayanan Kuttippurath, analyzed data from 1980 to 2022 using ground-based ozonesonde and satellite ozone measurements.

Researchers found that tropical ozone levels remain well above the critical threshold used to define an ozone hole, contrary to previous assertions. The research attributes any slight decrease in tropical ozone levels to atmospheric dynamics rather than chemical processes, concluding that ozone holes remain confined to Antarctica due to unique conditions.

(With inputs from agencies.)