Middle greenhouse effect

In today s society we face many serious problems related to energy turmoil in the Middle East, the greenhouse effect, and polluted city air. Clearly the search for readily available, economical, and clean energy sources is of crucial importance. The solution may be in our backyards—literally. 

Numerical models have been used to predict the potential ozone depletion in response to the emission of halocarbons, based on different plausible scenarios. All of these models indicate that the time required for the middle atmosphere to respond to surface emissions of these halocarbons is very long (several decades). In particular, even with the measures taken to reduce or phase-out the emissions of the CFCs and other halocarbons, it is expected that the Antarctic ozone hole will be observed each spring (September-October) at least until the year 2040. It should also be noted that the halocarbons are active in the infrared, and contribute to the greenhouse effect. 

Carbon dioxide is an important constituent of interest in the field of air pollution, from both local and global perspectives. Its anthropogenic sources include combustion of fossil fuels and depletion of rain forests. The background concentration of carbon dioxide in the northern hemisphere has risen from approximately 310 ppm in the middle of the 20th century to 369 ppm in 2000. This situation is connected to the greenhouse effect and has become an important issue beyond national boundaries. Moreover, enormous amounts of CO are generated by incomplete combustion of carbonaceous fuels such as wood, coal, gasoline, and natural gas. From the human health point of view, the current U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) for CO is 50 ppm. The exposure standard recommended by the... 

---