After three decades of observation, scientists have finally found the first fingerprints of healing in the notorious Southern Hemisphere ozone hole. The research team, led by Susan Solomon, a professor of atmospheric chemistry and climate science at MIT, found multiple lines of evidence for the healing. The findings were published Thursday in Science. The ozone hole forms every year over Antarctica, beginning in August and generally peaking in October. Solomon's team compared September ozone measurements, collected from balloon data and satellites, with statistical simulations that predict ozone. Solomon’s team found that, in recent years, the hole is not eclipsing the 12-million-square-kilometer threshold until later in the southern spring, which indicates that the September hole is shrinking. In fact, the researchers believe the ozone hole has shrunk by more than 4 million square kilometers. Furthermore, the hole is not as deep as it used to be. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/06/antarctic-ozone-hole-healing-fingerprints/
