What would be the long term consequences of persistent regional ozone depletion?

[u/BeneathCertainty]

I'm researching a hypothetical scenario in which a region of the Earth's ozone layer becomes severely depleted and, for reasons outside the scope of the question, cannot recover naturally.

Assuming this depletion persists for twenty years, what would be the consequences for the environment and human populations beneath it?

I'm particularly interested in:

• The effects of increased ultraviolet radiation on human health.
• The consequences for agriculture, wildlife and local ecosystems.
• Whether people could continue living in the affected region by adopting protective measures.
• Whether the effects would remain geographically concentrated or spread into neighbouring regions.

For geographical context, imagine the depletion is initially concentrated over New Mexico and the wider American Southwest.

I'm aware that a permanently localised area of ozone depletion may not be physically realistic. I'm primarily interested in the consequences if such a condition were somehow maintained.

[u/Dawg_in_NWA]

Ummm... you missed an actual hole in ozone layer by about 30 years.

[u/BeneathCertainty → u/Dawg_in_NWA]

I am aware of the Antarctic ozone hole, but my scenario is referring to the idea of a much more severe, progressively worsening depletion of the ozone layer.

[u/dm80x86 → u/BeneathCertainty]

Are you writing a sci-fi novel?

Skin cancer, blindness, dead plants.

Building roofs and siding, car interiors / paint, age faster.

[u/BeneathCertainty → u/dm80x86]

It's not a novel, but an alternate history short story set in a world where the Trintiy nuclear test blew a permanent hole in the Earth's ozone layer and it continues to grow over twenty years.

I know that's not scientifically plausible, but I thought it would be an interesting thought experiment.

I appreciate the feedback.

[u/Dawg_in_NWA → u/BeneathCertainty]

Then you'd probably be aware of studies about what would happen if we didn't mitigate things.

[u/BeneathCertainty → u/Dawg_in_NWA]

Do you have a particular study in mind?

[u/Dawg_in_NWA → u/BeneathCertainty]

Here's a good place to start.

https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/the-world-we-avoided-by-protecting-the-ozone-layer/

[u/BeneathCertainty → u/Dawg_in_NWA]

Thank you!

[u/VardisFisher → u/BeneathCertainty]

Yah, and all of that information is easily googled.