Unintended consequences

Healing Antarctica’s ozone hole has a possible downside

Via a complicated cascade of effects, a full recovery of the ozone hole over Antarctica in the coming years could significantly boost warming of the atmosphere over and around the icy continent.

After years of decline, the springtime concentrations of ozone in the atmosphere high over Antarctica have begun to increase — a sign that the ozone hole is recovering (SN: 12/24&31/05, p.