Earth ID: 825

Chemical Model Animation of O3 Losing an Oxygen Atom to a Radical

Visualizations by James W. Williams Released on April 9, 1999

Ozone is very reactive. It easily loses the third oxygen atom in the presence of other highly reactive compounds called radicals, which contain chlorine, hydrogen, nitrogen, or bromine. Minute quantities of these radicals can cause large decreases in ozone because they are not consumed in the reaction. This is called a catalytic cycle.

Video slate image reads, "The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
Chemical Model Animations
Showing the O3 molecule loosing its third oxygen atom in the presence of other highly reactive compounds called radicals, which contain chlorine, hydrogen, nitrogen, or bromine. This is called a Catalytic cycle".

For More Information

http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/stories/UARS/ozone_models.html

Visualization Credits

James W. Williams (GST): Lead Animator
Jesse Allen (Raytheon): Animator
Greg Shirah (NASA/GSFC): Animator
Mark Schoeberl (NASA/GSFC): Scientist

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

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https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/825

This item is part of this series:
UARS

Keywords:
SVS >> Oxygen
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Atmosphere >> Atmospheric Chemistry/Oxygen Compounds >> Ozone
NASA Science >> Earth

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0