Measurements of solar ultraviolet radiation and atmospheric photolysis rates
Ozone in the upper atmosphere controls how much of the sun's ultraviolet (uv) radiation reaches the earth. Ozone (O/sub 3/) is produced through the photolysis of oxygen. Ozone is itself photolyzed by the sun to form excited oxygen atoms which can react with nitrous oxide (N/sub 2/O) to form nitric oxide (NO); NO, in turn, exerts a controlling influence on stratospheric ozone. Solar photolysis reactions are also the keystone of photochemical smog formation. Most of the ozone in the polluted troposphere is derived from the photolysis of nitrogen dioxide (NO/sub 2/). Tropospheric photolysis reactions run the spectrum from the shortest ultraviolet to the longest visible radiation. This article describes new experimental techniques for measuring the intensity of photolyzing radiation throughout the troposphere.
- OSTI ID:
- 6300977
- Journal Information:
- Atmos. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Atmos. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 12; ISSN ATTED
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
DETECTION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
HYDROXYL RADICALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NITRIC OXIDE
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NITROUS OXIDE
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOLYSIS
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATIONS
RADICALS
RADIOINDUCTION
RADIOMETERS
SOLAR RADIATION
SPECTROMETERS
STELLAR RADIATION
TROPOSPHERE
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTROMETERS