The World - News from July 27, 1989

Effects of the Antarctic ozone hole apparently have spread north to Australia and New Zealand, causing a significant drop in ozone above populated areas for the first time, scientists reported in the journal Nature. An international research team said it detected a “sudden decline” in ozone levels over southern Australia and much of New Zealand in December, 1987. Alan Plumb, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientist who led the team, said the decline amounted to about 7% over southern Australia and New Zealand compared with a drop of 50% or more over the Antarctic.