Ozone Chemical Models
Ozone Creation
Ozone absorbing UV radiation
Ozone destruction by free radicals
Ozone is formed with high energy ultraviolet radiation
from the Sun breaks apart molecular oxygen. An oxygen atom
then combines with an oxygen molecule producing a new
molecule with three atoms of oxygen, ozone.
Ozone is a strong absorber of lower energy ultraviolet
radiation which can kill living organisms. This radiation
is absorbed by the ozone layer when it breaks the ozone
bonds. An oxygen atom is released, but it quickly
recombines with another oxygen molecule to regenerate ozone.
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.
Technical notes:
Rendered: October, 1998
Data source: SVS models
For: The UARS project
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