Furthermore, we find that these reentry byproducts may take up to 30 years to settle from the top of the mesosphere into the stratospheric ozone layer. Upon reaching an altitude of about 40 km, aluminum oxides catalyze chlorine activation which promotes ozone depletion.
So the “reentry byproducts” from a satellite re-entering now, won’t start breaking down ozone until 2056, and by then there will be another 30 years’ worth of byproducts deposited in the upper atmosphere.
And since it’s a catalyst, it won’t even be consumed in the process like CFCs are.
I wonder if wooden satellites would help. I don’t know how capable they are compared to normal ones, but it should reduce the amount of aluminium we launch into space.
This made me ask “wait, is that true” and apparently it is. Super, skin cancer for everyone. 🤦
And it’ll take ages to have an impact too.
So the “reentry byproducts” from a satellite re-entering now, won’t start breaking down ozone until 2056, and by then there will be another 30 years’ worth of byproducts deposited in the upper atmosphere.
And since it’s a catalyst, it won’t even be consumed in the process like CFCs are.
Tldr aluminum from burning up satellites is a catalyst that breaks down ozone.
I wonder if wooden satellites would help. I don’t know how capable they are compared to normal ones, but it should reduce the amount of aluminium we launch into space.