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The ozone layer over Europe could dwindle to a record low in the next
few weeks. Å®ÉúСÊÓƵs working on the European Arctic Stratospheric, Ozone
Experiment, who have been measuring gases in the upper atmosphere over an
area between Greenland, central Europe and northern Russia since November,
say the amounts of ozone have been lower than were expected from observations
made oyer the past three years.

In an interim report, the scientists say the atmosphere is ‘highly disturbed’
by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines last June, which injected
line dust and ash into the upper atmosphere. ‘This is an unprecedented situation,’
say the scientists. Levels of particles in the stratosphere are ten times
higher than normal.

Such line particles can accelerate the chemical reactions that destroy
ozone. The Ozone ‘hole’ over the Antarctic, for example, is caused by chemical
reactions on surface of ice crystals. Consistent with this, the scientists
say that nitrogen oxides, which inhibit destruction of ozone by chlorine
compounds, are at ‘anomalously low’ levels inside the volcanic cloud.

Measurements of active chlorine compounds, some made for the First time
this year, continue to point to industrial CFCs as the source. ‘Ozone is
already low over Europe this year and there is a strong possibility of chemical
loss over the next few weeks,’ say the scientists.