Atmospheric oxidants

Abstract

The ingredients which cause the air pollution are a mixture of oxides of organic matter (mostly nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons) and ozone. Ozone, although considered one of the rare atmospheric gases, needs consideration in spacecraft design because of its chemical reaction (oxidation) with organic materials, especially rubber, which becomes hard and brittle under tension in a few minutes time. At the earth surface, a maximum of 60 parts per hundred million of oxidants composed of nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, sulphur dioxide, sulphur trioxides, peroxides, and ozone can be expected for 72 hours when smog occurs. A table representing distribution of ozone concentration with atmospheric altitude is included.