Episode 21: The Ozone Trilogy (1/3) – Tropospheric Ozone: A Trace Gas Causes Trouble

Not all ozone is the same: whilst the ozone layer high up in the stratosphere protects us from harmful UV radiation, ozone at ground level can become a problem. In the first episode of our ozone trilogy, we therefore take a closer look at ground-level, or tropospheric, ozone.

How is ground-level ozone formed? Why are hot, sunny days with little wind particularly critical? And why are the highest ozone levels often measured not directly in the city, but in the surrounding areas? We discuss the effects on our health and agriculture, the trend in ozone pollution in Austria, and what has changed since the extreme ozone smog episodes of the 1990s.

We’ll also take you back to Los Angeles in the 1940s, where a mysterious summer smog was initially even mistaken for a possible chemical attack. And, of course, we’ll explain how ozone is actually measured and what levels are now considered critical.

This is Part 1 of our ozone trilogy. In the next episode, we’ll be heading high up into the stratosphere to explore the ozone layer.