Global ozone balance in the natural stratosphere

The method of instantaneous rates is a three-dimensional model that takes the observed distribution of atmospheric species and temperature as input data. The distribution of radiation over wavelength, photochemical rate constants, and reaction rates are evaluated in each cell of the three-dimensional grid. For certain problems of restricted scope, definite answers can be given by this approach. For example, it is shown that the Chapman reactions and air motions are insufficient to give a global ozone balance; these factors account for only about 20 percent of the ozone produced below 45 km. There must be other photochemical or chemical reactions that destroy natural stratospheric ozone. The water reactions (H, HO, and HOO radicals) balance about 10 percent of the ozone produced below 45 km. Recently observed concentrations of nitrogen dioxide at up to 36-km elevations are close to those required to destroy the remaining 70 percent of naturally produced ozone. Until enough measurements are made to characterize the vertical, latitudinal, and seasonal distribution of nitrogen dioxide, it will not be known whether yet other substances (such as chlorine, bromine, and metallic oxide particles) play a significant (10 percent or more) role in the natural ozone balance