[Pooeypants]

Quote by: Pale RIder Actually, that half life of 7 minutes is in a vaccum chamber in a laboratory. Rare indeed would the the ozone molecule that would last more than a second or two in the atmosphere. UV radiation ionizes ozone in exactly the same manner as it ionizes O2.

It is in a dynamic equilibrium so long as the UV light of correct wavelengths strikes.

Quote by: Pale RIder I saw the absorption spectra that you listed. Clearly, you didn't grasp what you were seeing, and didn't take even a little while to try to understand it. This is what is most frustrating about discussing this topic with "true believers" You just grabbed the picture and posted it not even realizing that you were making my case for me. It is just one more omission perpetrated by people who make their money on your fear. O2 absorbs UV in wavelengths shorter than 240nm. (shorter is more dangerous) O3 is unable to absorb any UV in wavelenghts shorter than about 320nm. O2 is the workhorse in UV absorption, O3 plays a minor role at best. The idea that O3 saves us from skin cancer is a myth that is perpetuated by nothing more than government grant money. The physics and chemistry of the ozone cycle put the lie to the myth. Unfortunate that most people don't take the time to apply simple logic to the physics and chemistry of the ozone cycle and realize that what the "scientists" are saying is simply not what is happening.

Clearly, you weren't looking hard enough. The graph I cited show absorption from 130nm to 260nm (the full range is not shown). It compares the amount of absorption relative to O2 and quite clearly, because O3 absorbs a larger range (anything below 360nm is UV) it has a greater potential for "protecting" us. Unless of course, you can show me that the Sun emits more light in the higher UV frequencies than towards the lower frequency spectra.

Quote by: Pale RIder The surf analogy is for folks who mistakenly believe that the "ozone" layer is some mysterous layer of ozone that protects us from the sun. It isn't. Just as the surf is the result of deep water waves coming in contact with shallow water, the ozone layer is the result of short wave UV from the sun coming in contact with O2 in the upper atmosphere. The surf is a result...ozone is a result. In the case of the surf, the rising bottom absorbs the energy of the deep water waves and the surf is a result. In the case of UV radiation from the sun, O2 absorbs the great bulk of the radiation and O3 is a result of O2 absorbing dangerous UV radiation. O3 is almost immediately re-ionized and reformed into O2 again which, again, is the gas that absorbs the shortest and most dangerous wavelengths of UV.

So what is the lower density of O3 an indication of?

Anyway, what exactly does the government gain by banning the use of CFCs? Can you give us a plausible explanation of this conspiracy?