Ozone Hole and Ocean Circulation

Research from Dr. Darryn W. Waugh of Johns Hopkins University and his colleagues, published recently in Science magazine, shows a link between ozone depletion, surface winds, and ocean circulation. Their results, based in part on measurements of chloroflurocarbon-12 abundance in the Southern Oceans from the early 1990s to late 2000s, show that subtropical intermediate waters are "younger" while upwelling, circumpolar waters are "older". These changes are consistent with a response of the Earth system to strengthened surface winds due to thinning of the ozone layer, resulting in increased ocean ventilation.

More more information about this research, visit http://hub.jhu.edu/2013/01/31/ozone-thinning-and-ocean-circulation.


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