troposphere, extends from the Earth’s surface up to 10 kilometers in altitude. All human

activity occurs in the troposphere. The next layer, the stratosphere, continues from the

end of the troposphere to about 50km. Most air traffic occurs in the stratosphere.

Ozone is a tri-atomic allotrope of oxygen that accounts for the distinctive odor

after a thunderstorm or around electrical equipment. The odor of ozone around electrical

machines was reported as early as 1785, and ozone’s chemical make-up was determined

in 1872. Ozone is an irritating, pale blue gas that is explosive and toxic, even at low

concentrations. Ozone is 1.5 times as dense as oxygen. At -112 degrees Celsius, it

condenses into a dark blue liquid, which freezes at -412 degrees Celsius. Ozone is an

extremely powerful oxidizing agent. It is used commercially as a bleaching agent and as a

strong germicide used to sterilize drinking water as well as to remove objectional odors

Most atmospheric ozone is concentrated in the stratosphere, about 15-30km above

the Earth’s surface. Ozone is a molecule containing three oxygen atoms. The oxygen that

These compounds are carried into the stratosphere, where they can undergo hundreds of

latitudes outside the tropics, has prompted much research into the causes of ozone

more importantly absorbs UVB ultraviolet light. UVB causes skin cancer, cataracts, can

is chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Fifty years ago, CFCs were thought of as miracle

we breathe has only two oxygen atoms and no color or odor. Ozone occurs far less than

Replacement compounds for CFCs have also been evaluated for their Ozone Depletion

oxygen, of every ten million air molecules, two million are normal oxygen and only three

environment. This discovery, along with evidence that ozone is being lost at nearly all

Some topics in this essay:
Celsius Ozone, CFCs Fifty, Ozone Earth’s, Hydrofluorocarbons HFCs, Spectrometer TOMS, Depletion Processes, Hydrochlorofluorocarbons HCFCs, Antarctica March, Levels Global, ozone depletion, ozone layer, earth’s surface, Ozone Depletion, latitudes outside tropics, ozone levels, potential effects, oxygen ozone, trends ozone, chemical species, oxygen atoms, odor ozone,