University of Canterbury (UC) researchers have summarised the threats that future rocket launches would pose to Earth’s protective ozone layer, in a new review article published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
University of Canterbury (UC) researchers have summarised the threats that future rocket launches would pose to Earth’s protective ozone layer, in a new review article published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
The ozone layer, which protects life on Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, was severely damaged in the 1980s and 1990s due to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) — chemicals used in aerosols and refrigeration. Thanks to coordinated global action and legislation, the ozone layer is now on track to heal this century.
Rocket launches emit both gases and particulates that damage the ozone layer. Reactive chlorine, black carbon, and nitrogen oxides (among other species) are all emitted by contemporary rockets. New fuels like methane are yet to be measured.
“The current impact of rocket launches on the ozone layer is estimated to be small but has the potential to grow as companies and nations scale up their space programmes,” Associate Professor in Environmental Physics Dr Laura Revell says.
Read more at Taylor & Francis Group
Photo Credit: SpaceX-Imagery via Pixabay
