Category: Global Systems Science
Online curriculum books for high school science pertinent to key societal issues
OZ1C. Stay Current—Strange Happenings
Staying current for Chapter 1 { Ozone Contents } 24 December 1997. Ozone Depletion FAQSample Question–Subject: 1.3) How does the composition of the atmosphere change with altitude? (Or, how can CFC’s get up to the stratosphere when they are heavier than air?) Answer: In the earth’s troposphere and stratosphere, most _stable_ chemical species are “well-mixed” – […]
OZ11. Hazards of Ozone in the Troposphere
Chapter 11 { Ozone Contents } There is another health problem resulting from changing levels of ozone in the atmosphere, but this involves increasing concentrations of ozone near the ground. Due to its highly reactive nature, breathing ozone is quite harmful. It affects your health and the environment. I. Effects of Tropospheric Ozone On Health […]
OZ10. The Other Face of Ozone
Chapter 10 { Ozone Contents } I. Ground Level Ozone Although most of the Earth’s ozone is found in the stratosphere, pollution created by human activity has brought increasing ozone concentrations much closer to home in the air we breathe. Breathing ozone can irritate and inflame the nose, throat, and lungs, and affect the body’s […]
OZ9. Global Efforts to Recover Ozone
Chapter 9 { Ozone Contents } I. Global Agreements Industrial states and countries took action quickly to curb chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) use starting in 1977. The first global meeting was held in 1985 at the Vienna Convention. Although no formal global actions were agreed upon, the international community supported immediate scientific investigations. Two years later (1987), […]
Software for GSS
Apps for Digital Earth Watch investigations and challenges Images to use with AnalyzingDigitalImages are in the materials lists of each investigation or challenge. Apps for A Changing Cosmos investigations Investigations that require image processing apps are marked with an asterisk in the Table of Contents for A Changing Cosmos. Links to required images are in […]
OZ8. Measuring Ozone
Chapter 8 { Ozone Contents } Accurate measurements of stratospheric ozone identified the ozone problem in the mid-1980s. Accurate measurements are still needed to learn more about the complicated atmospheric chemistry involved and to monitor how the ozone layer responds as CFCs are phased out. The longest continuous record of ozone measurements extends almost 80 […]
OZ7. Expedition to Antarctic
Chapter 7 { Ozone Contents } I. The National Ozone Expedition (NOZE) 1896 When Susan Solomon stood on the frozen wastes of Antarctica in the Spring of 1986 and watched her associates release a research balloon, she felt the heavy responsibility of being the leader of what was really a wilderness expedition. The group faced […]
OZ6. The Loss of ’84 and the Surprise of ’85
Chapter 6 { Ozone Contents } Joe Farman shook his head. “Oh, no! Again—the same problem.” He had checked and rechecked the instrument, a spectrophotometer, which can accurately and precisely measure the intensity of a particular wavelength or color of light. Last year, back in England, the instrument had been completely rebuilt. It was now […]
OZ5. A Mystery Solved
Chapter 5 { Ozone Contents } I. The Scientific Investigation Jim Lovelock is an unusual person in today’s science community. He does not work at a university nor is he part of any business organization. He works out of a small laboratory in his home in the quiet countryside of Wilshire, England, and he works […]
OZ4. CFCs Are Invented
Chapter 4 { Ozone Contents } The previous chapter provided evidence of a link between thinning ozone, increased UV at the Earth’s surface, and the danger posed to humans and other living things. In this chapter we explore another clue to the puzzle: the existence of a new kind of gas in the air produced […]