Environmentalists exchange victory signs as three Atmospheric scientists and an anti-nuclear activist are awarded Nobel prize
THE NOBLE for chemistry for the
Year 1995 to three atmospher-
Scientist on October 11, is a vindication for environmentalists who have
Wl6m boarse for decades over
phown caused by humanmade
LUC WMDcrs of the us $1 million
we Dutch scientist Paul
k1ft Un Planck Institute for
Oft bdamz Germany, Mario
Molina of Massachusetis Institute of
technology in Cambridge, and F
Shrewood of the University of
California at Irvine.
By explaining tye chemical mecha-
nism the thickness of the
ozone layer,the three researchers have
contributed to our salvation from a
global environmental problem that
asepbsc consequences," said the royal
Swedish Academy of Sciences in its Nobel citation.
An elated Molina,
in a telephonic interview with the
Washington Post pointed out that that the
award to environmen-
tal scientists "shows a
certain maturity in
field previously considered soft."
Undoubtedly, the Nobel chemistry
prize is a befitting tribute to over three
decades of painstaking research undertaken by Molina, Rowland and Crutzen.
Beginning in the 1970s, the trio, in a
series of findings, described the chemical processes by which ozone was
formed and destroyed in the atmosphere.The studies showed that human made chemicals like the chlorofluoro-
carbons (CFCs) used in aerosols, refrigerants and insulating materials, were
breaking down ozone molecules in the
upper part of the atmosphere. This ler protects
the earth from the harmful effects of the ultraviolet radiation emitted by
the sun.
Further alarm was
generated as it was scientifically established that
unless there was an adequate ozone layer, the
sun's ultraviolet rays could trigger off
skin cancer and cataracts, and damage
natural ecosystems.
The first major step was taken by
Crutzen in 1970, when he demonstrated
that nitrogen oxides accelerate ozone
depletion, identifying for the first time,
one of the key processes that determine
the natural balance of the ozone layer,
He also explained the link between the
density of the ozone layer and chemicals
released by bacteria in the soil, indicating that the earth operates as a system in
which the oceans, air and land are all
mutually interfinked.
Criatzen's research was further bolstered by Harold Johnston, a us
researcher. Johnston demonstrated
the possible threat to the ozone layer
by using a planned fleet of supersonic
aircraft that could release nitrogen
oxides right into the middle of the
ozone layer.
The ozone chemistry research then
received a big fillip from a seminal paper
published by Molina and Rowland in
the journal Nature in 1974. The paper
focussed on the threat posed to the
ozone layer by the proliferation of
synthetic CFCs. These chemicals were
widely used as propellants in spray cans,
as coolants in refrigerators and air
conditioners, besides other industrial
purposes. Obviously, Molina and
Rowland's thesis faced flak from industry which was apprehensive that curbs
on CFCs would affect business.
However, dangers of ozone depletion arrested attention in 1985, when
the British Antarctic Survey discovered
an "ozone hole" over the South Pole,
This spurred Crutzen, Molina and
Rowland to zero in on the significance
of low temperatures for creating icy
cloud particles upon which ozone
destroying reactions could occur.
The work of Molina, Crutzen and
Rowland laid the foundation for the
Montreal Protocol, 1987, on phasing
out of CFCs. Under the Protocol, the us
and 70 other countries agreed on phasing out CFCs by AD 2000.
The fact that ozone depletion was
affecting temperate regions, led to the
1992 amendments to the Protocol
under which industrialised countries
agreed for cFc phase-out by 1995 end.
As the Royal Swedish Academy of
Sciences pointed out, it was largely
because of the three researchers that "it
has been possible to make far-reaching
decisions on prohibiting the release of
gases that destroy ozone."
But there still are sceptics who
refuse to accept that CFCs cause ozone
depletion. Only this September, there
was a hearing in the us on the "myths
and realities" ofstratospheric ozone crisis. In recent weeks, us Republicans have
even introduced legislation to postpone
further action to reduce the marinfac-
ture of ozone depleting substances.
The recent Nobel chemistry award is
certainly a fitting rebuffto the hollerings
of the sceptics.
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