ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, February 9, 1996 TAG: 9602090059
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: HAMPTON
Researchers led by a NASA Langley Research Center scientist have concluded ``beyond all reasonable doubt'' that man-made chemicals are responsible for the chlorine that's destroying the Earth's protective ozone layer.
James Russell III, a NASA Langley project scientist, and his colleagues used satellite data to rule out natural sources of chlorine as a cause for holes in the ozone.
Their study, published in Thursday's edition of Nature magazine, said chlorofluorocarbons - CFCs - from air conditioners and cooling systems dominate the chlorine input to the stratosphere.
Some scientists have held onto the idea that natural sources, including volcanoes and sea spray, could be responsible. But Russell said the new study showed that a global phaseout already under way on production of CFCs is necessary.
``We should stay that course. We should cease production of CFCs,'' he said. ``We did this study to end the debate and put the final nail in the coffin on the CFC issue.''
LENGTH: Short : 29 linesby CNB