Findings show that natural processes are destroying more pollutants, such as ozone and methane, than previously thought. But the tropical Atlantic cannot be taken for granted as a permanent sink for ozone, scientists warn

British scientists working at the Cape Verde Observatory on the volcanic island of São Vicente believe chemicals produced by sea spray and tiny marine organisms are speeding up natural processes that destroy the gases.

Detailed measurements taken over a year revealed that levels of one greenhouse gas were substantially lower than climate models predicted.

The observatory, which was recently set up by British, German and Cape Verdean scientists, has given researchers an unprecedented ability to study climate change in one of the most remote regions in the world.

In the tropics, intense UV rays in sunlight trigger reactions that effectively scrub greenhouse gases from the air. Without this natural cleaning process, atmospheric levels of the gases and other pollutants would be substantially higher than they are.

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