New Zealand scientists from the University of Otago have discovered what processes occur in the Earth’s ozone hole above the South Pole. Despite signs of recovery, the hole in the planet’s protective layer continues to deepen seasonally. The study was published in the scientific journal Nature Communications (NatComms), Ednews informs via report.

Experts said that from 2004 to 2022, ozone levels in the middle layer of the stratosphere fell by 26%, despite the decrease in concentrations of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons. This is proven by satellite data.

Observations have shown that ozone depletion occurs in the spring months.

“For six of the last nine years, ozone has been really low and there have been extremely large ozone holes. Annika Seppala, one of the authors of the study, said there may be something else going on in the atmosphere right now (perhaps due to climate change) that is masking some of the ozone layer’s recovery.

Experts stated that another reason for the depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer was the massive eruption of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano off the coast of the Tonga Islands in January 2022.