Discovery of the Ozone Hole, 1985 Place-name of the Month

The ozone hole over Antarctica was discovered in 1985 by a BAS research team, led by Farman, Gardiner, and Shanklin. Their discovery shocked the world and led to the Montreal Protocol, freezing production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) at 1986 levels, with a goal to phase them out entirely.

Farman, Gardiner and Shanklin are honoured with place names in Antarctica. Farman Highland is a prominent ice-covered upland, rising to 750 m and forming the Eastern part of Hutton Mountains, between Wright Inlet, Keller Inlet, Lassiter Coast and Palmer Land. Flowing south of this Highland, Shanklin Glacier is about 12 km long and flows into Keller Inlet. Off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, Gardiner Islands lie within the Argentine Islands, as Gardiner wintered in the region between 1968-70.

Map showing place names associated with the discovery of the ozone hole