ozone layer

noun

Definition of ozone layer

: an atmospheric layer at heights of about 20 to 30 miles (32 to 48 kilometers) that is normally characterized by high ozone content which blocks most solar ultraviolet radiation from entry into the lower atmosphere

Examples of ozone layer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web When scientists discovered that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were destroying the planet’s protective ozone layer, rapid action was needed to avoid surging cases of skin cancer and blindness. — David Carlin, Forbes, "Winning America’s Climate Future Means Mandating Net-Zero Today," 26 Apr. 2021 By comparing the chemicals preserved in the tree rings to atmospheric records found in ice cores and soil, the researchers drew conclusions about the magnetic field’s effect on the ozone layer, as well as solar activity and space weather. — Theresa Machemer, Smithsonian Magazine, "Did an Ancient Magnetic Field Reversal Cause Chaos for Life on Earth 42,000 Years Ago?," 24 Feb. 2021 Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency banned the refrigerant known as R-22 or Freon from being made in the United States or imported because of its harmful impact on the ozone layer. — Marni Jameson, orlandosentinel.com, "New HVAC system trips heated discussion," 19 Feb. 2021 Meg Seki, acting executive secretary of the Ozone Secretariat, the United Nations body that administers the treaty, said the organization was pleased to see that emissions had dropped and that the effect on the ozone layer was likely to be limited. — New York Times, "China’s Emissions of Ozone-Harming Gas Are Declining, Studies Find," 10 Feb. 2021 The Montreal Protocol, which has been instrumental in repairing our ozone layer, was signed in 1987, 14 years after CFCs were posited to pose a danger—speedy by U.N. standards. — Dave Ford, Scientific American, "We Need a Paris Agreement for Plastics," 30 Dec. 2020 Solar geoengineering with aerosols runs head into the fact that aerosols, like ozone layer-destroying chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) spray aerosols, have often been a contributor to climate change. — Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, "Bill Gates Is Thinking About Dimming the Sun," 26 Mar. 2021 But, Chemours is exempt from that prohibition because the HCFC-22 produced in Louisville is used as a feedstock to make other products that do not damage the Earth’s protective ozone layer. — Phil Mckenna And James Bruggers, The Courier-Journal, "Louisville super-polluting chemical plant emits not 1, but 2 potent greenhouse gases," 5 Apr. 2021 After years of skepticism and pushback from industry, British scientists in 1985 discovered a hole in the ozone layer, leading to the landmark international treaty known as the 1987 Montreal Protocol and a ban on production of CFCs. — John Schwartz, BostonGlobe.com, "Paul Crutzen, Nobel laureate who fought climate change, dies at 87," 5 Feb. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ozone layer.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

10 May 2021

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“Ozone layer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ozone%20layer. Accessed 11 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for ozone layer

ozone layer

noun

English Language Learners Definition of ozone layer

: a layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere that prevents dangerous radiation from the Sun from reaching the surface of the Earth

See the full definition for ozone layer in the English Language Learners Dictionary

ozone layer

noun

Kids Definition of ozone layer

: a layer of the earth's upper atmosphere that is characterized by high ozone content which blocks most of the sun's ultraviolet radiation from entering the lower atmosphere

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