What is ozone?
Ozone (O3) is a colorless gas composed of three oxygen atoms. It does not contribute directly to haze and visual impairment. There are two types of ozone. We often say ozone is "good up high, bad nearby", as in bad if it is near you in the air you breathe.
Ozone in the stratosphere forms naturally and is good because it blocks harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. (Increased exposure to UV may cause skin cancer.) Holes in this natural stratospheric ozone layer are caused by interactions with chlorofluorocarbons (that had been widely emitted from household appliances and other sources but has since been eliminated) and are an environmental concern.
Select links below to view movies that show ozone formation in an unpolluted and polluted atmosphere. Please be patient- Large files to load.
Animations from Introduction to Visibility by W. Malm, 1999.
