Innes says that now it seems that the idea of scientists has come true; But more research is needed to confirm the link between this year’s ozone hole and the Tonga eruption.
The natural variability of the ozone holes above both poles could have contributed to this year’s giant hole. In 2019, the Antarctic ozone hole shrank to its smallest size on record due to unusual warmth that inhibited the formation of polar stratospheric clouds. But from 2020 to 2022, as colder temperatures returned, the ozone hole grew larger year by year.
The occurrence of the “El Nino” climate phenomenon in the second half of 2023 may also play a small role in changing the temperature of the polar regions, but this relationship is currently unclear.
Although the current ozone hole is one of the largest ever seen, there is no reason to panic, according to European Space Agency researchers. The area below the ozone hole is nearly uninhabited, and the hole above it should close completely again within a few months. If CFC use levels remain low, the ozone layer should fully recover by 2050, the researchers added.
