
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 23, 1993                   TAG: 9304230070
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

OZONE HITS LOWEST LEVEL RECORDED

The ozone layer - which blocks dangerous ultraviolet radiation - dropped in 1992 to the lowest levels ever recorded over the Northern Hemisphere, scientists reported.

James Gleason of the Universities Space Research Association said that for several months late last year, concentrations of ozone fell to levels 10 percent to 20 percent lower than usual over much of central Asia, Western Europe and the western United States.

Overall, 1992 ozone levels north of the equator were 2 percent or 3 percent lower than ever before recorded.

Readings taken as recently as Sunday found "the global ozone levels are still way below normal, and they have not recovered," Gleason said Thursday.

Practical effects of the findings are uncertain. Some health experts have used statistical arguments to assert that each 1 percent ozone drop will increase ultraviolet radiation enough to increase skin cancer rates by 2 percent. This correlation has not been proven.

Scientists do know that increased ultraviolet radiation should cause not only more skin cancer, but could disrupt plant growth and the health of animals.

by CNB