The ozone layer is a layer in Earth's atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone (O₃). Temperature and layers The temperature of the Earth's atmosphere varies with altitude the mathematical relationship between temperature and altitude varies among five OZONE is an object oriented Operating system written in the C programming language. This layer absorbs 93-99% of the sun's high frequency ultraviolet light, which is potentially damaging to life on earth. The Sun (Sol is the Star at the center of the Solar System. Ultraviolet ( UV) light is Electromagnetic radiation with a Wavelength shorter than that of Visible light, but longer than X-rays ^[1] Over 91% of ozone in earth's atmosphere is present here. ^[1] "Relatively high" means a few parts per million—much higher than the concentrations in the lower atmosphere but still small compared to the main components of the atmosphere. It is mainly located in the lower portion of the stratosphere from approximately 15 km to 35 km above Earth's surface, though the thickness varies seasonally and geographically. The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, just above the Troposphere, and below the Mesosphere. ^[2] The ozone layer was discovered in 1913 by the French physicists Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson. Maurice Paul Auguste Charles Fabry ( 11 June 1867, Marseille &ndash 9 July 1945, Paris) was a French Physicist Henri Buisson (1873 &ndash 1944 was a French Physicist. In 1913 he discovered together with Charles Fabry the Ozone layer. Its properties were explored in detail by the British meteorologist G. M. B. Dobson, who developed a simple spectrophotometer that could be used to measure stratospheric ozone from the ground. Gordon Miller Bourne Dobson FRS ( 25 February 1889 - 11 March 1976) was a British Physicist and Meteorologist In Physics, spectrophotometry is the quantitative study of electromagnetic spectra. Between 1928 and 1958 Dobson established a worldwide network of ozone monitoring stations which continues to operate today(2008). The "Dobson unit", a convenient measure of the total amount of ozone in a column overhead, is named in his honor. The Dobson unit (DU is a unit of measurement of atmospheric Ozone, specifically ozone in the stratospheric Ozone layer.

Origin of ozone

Ozone-oxygen cycle in the ozone layer. The ozone-oxygen cycle is the process by which Ozone is continually regenerated in Earth 's Stratosphere, all the while converting Ultraviolet radiation

The photochemical mechanisms that give rise to the ozone layer were worked out by the British physicist Sidney Chapman in 1930. Sydney Chapman may refer to Sir Sydney Chapman (economist, (1871&ndash1951 British economist and civil servant Sydney Chapman (mathematician Ozone in the earth's stratosphere is created by ultraviolet light striking oxygen molecules containing two oxygen atoms (O₂), splitting them into individual oxygen atoms (atomic oxygen); the atomic oxygen then combines with unbroken O₂ to create ozone, O₃. Ultraviolet ( UV) light is Electromagnetic radiation with a Wavelength shorter than that of Visible light, but longer than X-rays Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the In Chemistry, a molecule is defined as a sufficiently stable electrically neutral group of at least two Atoms in a definite arrangement held together by History See also Atomic theory, Atomism The concept that matter is composed of discrete units and cannot be divided into arbitrarily tiny The ozone molecule is also unstable (although, in the stratosphere, long-lived) and when ultraviolet light hits ozone it splits into a molecule of O₂ and an atom of atomic oxygen, a continuing process called the ozone-oxygen cycle, thus creating an ozone layer in the stratosphere, the region from about 10 to 50 km (32,000 to 164,000 feet) above Earth's surface. The ozone-oxygen cycle is the process by which Ozone is continually regenerated in Earth 's Stratosphere, all the while converting Ultraviolet radiation The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, just above the Troposphere, and below the Mesosphere. About 90% of the ozone in our atmosphere is contained in the stratosphere. Ozone concentrations are greatest between about 20 and 40 km, where they range from about 2 to 8 parts per million. If all of the ozone were compressed to the pressure of the air at sea level, it would be only a few millimeters thick. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to

Ten percent of the ozone in the atmosphere is contained in the troposphere, the lowest part of our atmosphere where all of our weather takes place. The troposphere is the lowest portion of Earth's atmosphere. It contains approximately 75% of the atmosphere's mass and almost all of its Water vapor and Tropospheric ozone has two sources: about 10 % is transported down from the stratosphere while the remainder is created in smaller amounts through different mechanisms. Ozone (O3 is a key constituent of the Troposphere (it is also an important constituent of certain regions of the Stratosphere The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, just above the Troposphere, and below the Mesosphere.

Ultraviolet light and ozone

Levels of ozone at various altitudes and blocking of ultraviolet radiation. Ultraviolet ( UV) light is Electromagnetic radiation with a Wavelength shorter than that of Visible light, but longer than X-rays

Although the concentration of the ozone in the ozone layer is very small, it is vitally important to life because it absorbs biologically harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation emitted from the Sun. UV radiation is divided into three categories, based on its wavelength; these are referred to as UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. UV-C, which would be very harmful to humans, is entirely screened out by ozone at around 35 km altitude. UV-B radiation can be harmful to the skin and is the main cause of sunburn; excessive exposure can also cause genetic damage, as a result problems such as skin cancer. A sunburn is a burn to living tissue such as Skin produced by overexposure to Ultraviolet (UV radiation commonly from the Sun 's rays Skin cancer is a Malignant growth on the Skin which can have many causes The ozone layer is very effective at screening out UV-B; for radiation with a wavelength of 290 nm, the intensity at Earth's surface is 350 billion times weaker than at the top of the atmosphere. Nevertheless, some UV-B reaches the surface. Most UV-A reaches the surface; this radiation is significantly less harmful, although it can potentially cause genetic damage.

Depletion of the ozone layer allows more of the UV radiation, and particularly the more harmful wavelengths, to reach the surface, causing increased genetic damage to living creatures and organisms.

DNA sensitivity to UV

UV energy levels at several altitudes. Blue line shows DNA sensitivity. Red line shows surface energy level with 10% decrease in ozone.

To appreciate the importance of this ultraviolet radiation screening, we can consider a characteristic of radiation damage called an action spectrum. An action spectrum is the rate of a physiological activity plotted against Wavelength of Light. An action spectrum gives us a measure of the relative effectiveness of radiation in generating a certain biological response over a range of wavelengths. This response might be erythema (sunburn), changes in plant growth, or changes in molecular DNA. A sunburn is a burn to living tissue such as Skin produced by overexposure to Ultraviolet (UV radiation commonly from the Sun 's rays Deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is a Nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known Certain wavelengths of UV radiation have a much greater probability of DNA damage than others. Probability is the likelihood or chance that something is the case or will happen Fortunately, where DNA is easily damaged, such as by wavelengths shorter than 290 nm, ozone strongly absorbs UV. At the longer wavelengths where ozone absorbs weakly, DNA damage is less likely.

Distribution of ozone in the stratosphere

Global monthly average total ozone amount

The thickness of the ozone layer—that is, the total amount of ozone in a column overhead—varies by a large factor worldwide, being in general smaller near the equator and larger as one moves towards the poles. It also varies with season, being in general thicker during the spring and thinner during the autumn. The reasons for this latitude and seasonal dependence are complicated, involving atmospheric circulation patterns as well as solar intensity.

Since stratospheric ozone is produced by solar UV radiation, one might expect to find the highest ozone levels over the tropics and the lowest over polar regions. The same argument would lead one to expect the highest ozone levels in the summer and the lowest in the winter. The observed behavior is very different: most of the ozone is found in the mid-to-high latitudes of the northern and southern hemispheres, and the highest levels are found in the spring, not summer, and the lowest in the autumn, not winter. During winter, the ozone layer actually increases in depth. This puzzle is explained by the prevailing stratospheric wind patterns, known as the Brewer-Dobson circulation. While most of the ozone is indeed created over the tropics, the stratospheric circulation then transports it poleward and downward to the lower stratosphere of the high latitudes.

Brewer-Dobson circulation in the ozone layer.

The ozone layer is higher in altitude in the tropics, and lower in altitude in the extratropics, especially in the polar regions. This altitude variation of ozone results from the slow circulation that lifts the ozone-poor air out of the troposphere into the stratosphere. As this air slowly rises in the tropics, ozone is produced by the overhead sun which photolyzes oxygen molecules. As this slow circulation bends towards the mid-latitudes, it carries the ozone-rich air from the tropical middle stratosphere to the mid-and-high latitudes lower stratosphere. The high ozone concentrations at high latitudes are due to the accumulation of ozone at lower altitudes.

The Brewer-Dobson circulation moves very slowly. The time needed to lift an air parcel from the tropical tropopause near 16 km (50,000 ft) to 20 km is about 4-5 months (about 30 feet (9. 1 m) per day). Even though ozone in the lower tropical stratosphere is produced at a very slow rate, the lifting circulation is so slow that ozone can build up to relatively high levels by the time it reaches 26 km.

Ozone amounts over the continental United States (25°N to 49°N) are highest in the northern spring (April and May). The United States of America —commonly referred to as the These ozone amounts fall over the course of the summer to their lowest amounts in October, and then rise again over the course of the winter. Again, wind transport of ozone is principally responsible for the seasonal evolution of these higher latitude ozone patterns.

The total column amount of ozone generally increases as we move from the tropics to higher latitudes in both hemispheres. However, the overall column amounts are greater in the northern hemisphere high latitudes than in the southern hemisphere high latitudes. In addition, while the highest amounts of column ozone over the Arctic occur in the northern spring (March-April), the opposite is true over the Antarctic, where the lowest amounts of column ozone occur in the southern spring (September-October). Indeed, the highest amounts of column ozone anywhere in the world are found over the Arctic region during the northern spring period of March and April. The amounts then decrease over the course of the northern summer. Meanwhile, the lowest amounts of column ozone anywhere in the world are found over the Antarctic in the southern spring period of September and October, owing to the ozone hole phenomenon. Ozone depletion describes two distinct but related observations a slow steady decline of about 4 percent per decade in the total amount of Ozone in Earth's

Ozone depletion

Main article: Ozone depletion

The ozone layer can be depleted by free radical catalysts, including nitric oxide (NO), hydroxyl (OH), atomic chlorine (Cl), and atomic bromine (Br). Ozone depletion describes two distinct but related observations a slow steady decline of about 4 percent per decade in the total amount of Ozone in Earth's Nitric oxide or nitrogen monoxide is a Chemical compound with Chemical formula N[[Oxygen O]] Hydroxyl in Chemistry stands for a molecule consisting of an Oxygen atom and a Hydrogen atom connected by a Covalent bond. Chlorine (ˈklɔriːn from the Greek word 'χλωρóς' ( khlôros, meaning 'pale green' is the Chemical element with Atomic number 17 and While there are natural sources for all of these species, the concentrations of chlorine and bromine have increased markedly in recent years due to the release of large quantities of manmade organohalogen compounds, especially chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and bromofluorocarbons. Halocarbon compounds are Chemicals in which one or more Carbon Atoms are linked by Covalent bonds with one or more Halogen Atoms The haloalkanes (also known as halogenoalkanes or alkyl halides) are a group of Chemical compounds consisting of Alkanes such as Methane These highly stable compounds are capable of surviving the rise to the stratosphere, where Cl and Br radicals are liberated by the action of ultraviolet light. The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, just above the Troposphere, and below the Mesosphere. In Chemistry, radicals (often referred to as free radicals) are atoms molecules or ions with Unpaired electrons on an otherwise Open shell Each radical is then free to initiate and catalyze a chain reaction capable of breaking down over 100,000 ozone molecules. Ozone levels, over the northern hemisphere, have been dropping by 4% per decade. Northern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is North of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' Over approximately 5% of the Earth's surface, around the north and south poles, much larger (but seasonal) declines have been seen; these are the ozone holes. Ozone depletion describes two distinct but related observations a slow steady decline of about 4 percent per decade in the total amount of Ozone in Earth's

Regulation

On January 23, 1978, Sweden became the first nation to ban CFC-containing aerosol sprays that are thought to damage the ozone layer. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The haloalkanes (also known as halogenoalkanes or alkyl halides) are a group of Chemical compounds consisting of Alkanes such as Methane Aerosol spray is a type of dispensing system which creates an aerosol mist of liquid particles A few other countries, including the United States, Canada, and Norway, followed suit later that year, but the European Community rejected an analogous proposal. Even in the U. S. , chlorofluorocarbons continued to be used in other applications, such as refrigeration and industrial cleaning, until after the discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole in 1985. Ozone depletion describes two distinct but related observations a slow steady decline of about 4 percent per decade in the total amount of Ozone in Earth's After negotiation of an international treaty (the Montreal Protocol), CFC production was sharply limited beginning in 1987 and phased out completely by 1996. For other similarly-named agreements see Montreal Convention (disambiguation.

On August 2, 2003, scientists announced that the depletion of the ozone layer may be slowing down due to the international ban on CFCs. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[3] Three satellites and three ground stations confirmed that the upper atmosphere ozone depletion rate has slowed down significantly during the past decade. The study was organized by the American Geophysical Union. The American Geophysical Union (or AGU) is a nonprofit organization of Geophysicists consisting of over 50000 members from over 135 countries Some breakdown can be expected to continue due to CFCs used by nations which have not banned them, and due to gases which are already in the stratosphere. CFCs have very long atmospheric lifetimes, ranging from 50 to over 100 years, so the final recovery of the ozone layer is expected to require several lifetimes.

Compounds containing C–H bonds are being designed to replace the function of CFC's (such as HCFC), since these compounds are more reactive and less likely to survive long enough in the atmosphere to reach the stratosphere where they could affect the ozone layer. The haloalkanes (also known as halogenoalkanes or alkyl halides) are a group of Chemical compounds consisting of Alkanes such as Methane

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Ozone layer (English). Retrieved on 2007-09-23. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1122 - Concordat of Worms. 1459 - Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle of the English
2. ^ Science: Ozone Basics. (English). Retrieved on 2007-01-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher.
3. ^ Independent Online (2006-09-23). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1122 - Concordat of Worms. 1459 - Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle of the English Independent Online. (English). Retrieved on 2006-09-23. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1122 - Concordat of Worms. 1459 - Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle of the English

Further reading

• Seinfeld, John H. ; Pandis, Spyros N (1998). Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics - From Air Pollution to Climate Change. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-17816-0

External links

• Stratospheric ozone: an electronic textbook
• http://www.unep.org/ozone/Public_Information/4Aii_PublicInfo_Facts_OzoneLayer.asp
• NASA. Studying Earth's Environment From Space. June 2000. (accessed April 14, 2005) http://www.ccpo.odu.edu/SEES/index.html.