Chlorinated very short-lived substances offset the long-term reduction of inorganic stratospheric chlorine
Abstract Over the past few decades, a reduction in chlorinated long-lived ozone-depleting substance emissions due to the regulations imposed by the Montreal Protocol has led to a global decrease in stratospheric chlorine. At the same time, emissions of chlorinated Very Short-Lived Substances, which...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02478-9 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849685876125204480 |
|---|---|
| author | Kimberlee Dubé Susann Tegtmeier Adam Bourassa Johannes C. Laube Andreas Engel Laura N. Saunders Kaley A. Walker Ryan Hossaini Ewa M. Bednarz |
| author_facet | Kimberlee Dubé Susann Tegtmeier Adam Bourassa Johannes C. Laube Andreas Engel Laura N. Saunders Kaley A. Walker Ryan Hossaini Ewa M. Bednarz |
| author_sort | Kimberlee Dubé |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Over the past few decades, a reduction in chlorinated long-lived ozone-depleting substance emissions due to the regulations imposed by the Montreal Protocol has led to a global decrease in stratospheric chlorine. At the same time, emissions of chlorinated Very Short-Lived Substances, which are unregulated, have increased. Here we show that observed changes of inorganic stratospheric chlorine are inconsistent with changes in the tropospheric abundances of long-lived ozone-depleting substances. Satellite observations of stratospheric chlorine species from the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment—Fourier Transform Spectrometer during 2004–2020 reveal that the observed decrease in inorganic stratospheric chlorine is 25%–30% smaller than expected based on trends of long-lived ozone-depleting substances alone. At mid-latitudes in the lower stratosphere, this can be explained by the chlorinated Very Short-Lived Substances increase, which offsets the long-term reduction of stratospheric chlorine by up to 30%. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2969bdc1c2374ca789b016e69b8f2d7a |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-2969bdc1c2374ca789b016e69b8f2d7a2025-08-20T03:22:57ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-06-01611710.1038/s43247-025-02478-9Chlorinated very short-lived substances offset the long-term reduction of inorganic stratospheric chlorineKimberlee Dubé0Susann Tegtmeier1Adam Bourassa2Johannes C. Laube3Andreas Engel4Laura N. Saunders5Kaley A. Walker6Ryan Hossaini7Ewa M. Bednarz8Institute of Space and Atmospheric Studies, University of SaskatchewanInstitute of Space and Atmospheric Studies, University of SaskatchewanInstitute of Space and Atmospheric Studies, University of SaskatchewanInstitute of Climate and Energy Systems (ICE-4: Stratosphere), Forschungszentrum JülichInstitute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe University FrankfurtDepartment of Physics, University of TorontoDepartment of Physics, University of TorontoLancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster UniversityCooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado BoulderAbstract Over the past few decades, a reduction in chlorinated long-lived ozone-depleting substance emissions due to the regulations imposed by the Montreal Protocol has led to a global decrease in stratospheric chlorine. At the same time, emissions of chlorinated Very Short-Lived Substances, which are unregulated, have increased. Here we show that observed changes of inorganic stratospheric chlorine are inconsistent with changes in the tropospheric abundances of long-lived ozone-depleting substances. Satellite observations of stratospheric chlorine species from the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment—Fourier Transform Spectrometer during 2004–2020 reveal that the observed decrease in inorganic stratospheric chlorine is 25%–30% smaller than expected based on trends of long-lived ozone-depleting substances alone. At mid-latitudes in the lower stratosphere, this can be explained by the chlorinated Very Short-Lived Substances increase, which offsets the long-term reduction of stratospheric chlorine by up to 30%.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02478-9 |
| spellingShingle | Kimberlee Dubé Susann Tegtmeier Adam Bourassa Johannes C. Laube Andreas Engel Laura N. Saunders Kaley A. Walker Ryan Hossaini Ewa M. Bednarz Chlorinated very short-lived substances offset the long-term reduction of inorganic stratospheric chlorine Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Chlorinated very short-lived substances offset the long-term reduction of inorganic stratospheric chlorine |
| title_full | Chlorinated very short-lived substances offset the long-term reduction of inorganic stratospheric chlorine |
| title_fullStr | Chlorinated very short-lived substances offset the long-term reduction of inorganic stratospheric chlorine |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chlorinated very short-lived substances offset the long-term reduction of inorganic stratospheric chlorine |
| title_short | Chlorinated very short-lived substances offset the long-term reduction of inorganic stratospheric chlorine |
| title_sort | chlorinated very short lived substances offset the long term reduction of inorganic stratospheric chlorine |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02478-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kimberleedube chlorinatedveryshortlivedsubstancesoffsetthelongtermreductionofinorganicstratosphericchlorine AT susanntegtmeier chlorinatedveryshortlivedsubstancesoffsetthelongtermreductionofinorganicstratosphericchlorine AT adambourassa chlorinatedveryshortlivedsubstancesoffsetthelongtermreductionofinorganicstratosphericchlorine AT johannesclaube chlorinatedveryshortlivedsubstancesoffsetthelongtermreductionofinorganicstratosphericchlorine AT andreasengel chlorinatedveryshortlivedsubstancesoffsetthelongtermreductionofinorganicstratosphericchlorine AT lauransaunders chlorinatedveryshortlivedsubstancesoffsetthelongtermreductionofinorganicstratosphericchlorine AT kaleyawalker chlorinatedveryshortlivedsubstancesoffsetthelongtermreductionofinorganicstratosphericchlorine AT ryanhossaini chlorinatedveryshortlivedsubstancesoffsetthelongtermreductionofinorganicstratosphericchlorine AT ewambednarz chlorinatedveryshortlivedsubstancesoffsetthelongtermreductionofinorganicstratosphericchlorine |