TEA CO2 lidar at TexAQS.

About Ozone

Ozone is the tri-atomic form of oxygen (O₃). About ninety percent of the ozone in a vertical column in the atmosphere resides in the upper troposphere (8-12 km) and lower stratosphere (12-30 km). This high-altitude ozone helps to protect life on earth from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation coming to us from the sun. However, close to the earth's surface ozone is hazardous to human health, especially the respiratory system, including the possibility of ozone-induced lung cancer (Rombout et al., 1986). Plants are even more sensitive to ozone than humans. Research has shown that ozone and other oxidants are responsible for up to 90% of air-pollution-caused crop production loss in the United States (Heck et al., 1984a; Heck et al., 1984b). Ozone also causes damage to certain materials, e.g. rubber wears down much more quickly if exposed to high ozone concentrations. In addition, because the photolysis of ozone initiates most reactions in tropospheric photochemistry, ozone concentration is a key factor in the control of atmospheric oxidation, which in turn influences the concentrations of other radiatively important gas species. Ozone pollution continues to be one of the most pervasive and stubborn environmental problems.

References

Heck, W.W., W.W. Cure, J.O. Rawlings, L.J. Zaragoza, A.S. Heagle, H.E. Heggestad, R.J. Khout, L.W. Kress, and P.J. Temple, "Assessing impacts of ozone on agricultural crops: I. Overview," Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association, 34, 729-735 (1984).

Heck, W.W., W.W. Cure, J.O. Rawlings, L.J. Zaragoza, A.S. Heagle, H.E. Heggestad, R.J. Khout, L.W. Kress, and P.J. Temple, "Assessing impacts of ozone on agricultural crops: II. Crop yield functions and alternative exposure statistics," Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association, 34, 810-817 (1984).

Rombout, P.J.A., P.J. Lioy, and B.D. Goldstein, "Rationale for an eight-hour ozone standard," Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association, 36, 913-917 (1986).