There are no countries on the Antarctic continent. Therefore, there are no native languages or indigenous populations. Scientists from all over the world work there temporarily, and speak the languages of their home countries.Most science research on the continent is formalized in English and some in French. Governments representing 80% of the earths population conduct science on Antarctica, and of course, conduct this research in their own language.The continent is preserved for science under the directives of The Antarctic Treaty. For the purposes of sharing scientific data, English is a standard with French used when necessary.Antarctica is not a country, and therefore has no official language.The continent is dedicated to the scientific health of planet Earth. The language of science is generally English, with a secondary option of French.All scientists and workers temporarily located in research stations usually speak the language of the nation-state that supports the station.People who live and work on Antarctica temporarily, speak the native language of the country that has hired them.Antarctica doesnt have a major language. Each group of scientists speak the language of their country.There are no Antarctic people. The only people who live on Antarctica are scientists, military, and support personnel who are rotated in and out for periods of a few months to a few years at a time.The Antarctic Treaty was signed by governments representing about 80% of the earths population.Scientific stations funded by these governments speak their native languages.
Why is an ozone hole formed only above Antarctica and not over developed countries that emit a lot of CFCs?
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Why is an ozone hole formed only above Antarctica and not over developed countries that emit a lot of CFCs?
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Chlorofluorocarbon gases (CFCs) take six or seven years to move up to the stratosphere and the winds spread them all round the world.Extreme cold, a freezing vortex wind, frozen stratospheric clouds and 6-month darkness over Antarctica all provide ideal conditions for chlorine to break from the CFCs.The chlorine (and bromine) gases destroy the ozone during spring (Sept to Dec) and this is what causes the ozone hole.More detail:Chlorofluorocarbon gases (CFCs) and related halocarbon gases are the main cause of ozone depletion all over the world. CFCs released from Western countries take several years to reach the stratosphere where the ozone layer is. During that time winds spread them all over the world. In the presence of ultraviolet light these gases release chlorine and bromine atoms which destroy some of the ozone in the ozone layer. This is called ozone depletion. The ozone hole is a related but different phenomenon. The hole is Antarctica occurs in the spring (September to December). It begins with this overall ozone thinning, but it is assisted by the presence of polar stratospheric clouds (PS clouds). During the extreme cold of winter, with no sun for six months, polar winds create a vortex which traps and chills the air; the temperature is below -80 Celsius. The ice in these PS clouds provides surfaces for the chemical reactions that destroy the ozone. This needs light to kick-start the reactions.In spring the sun rises above the horizon and provides energy which starts the photochemical reactions. The clouds melt and the trapped compounds (chlorine and chlorine monoxide from the CFCs) are released. Ozone in the lower stratosphere is destroyed and the ozone hole appears.By the end of spring warmer December temperatures break up the vortex and destroy the PS clouds. Sunlight starts creating ozone again and the hole begins to repair.(A similar hole in the Arctic [but smaller because of warmer temperatures] occurs during spring.)
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