Ambient Ozone

Abstract

Ozone plays a key role in the atmosphere and participates in numerous important chemical reactions. Apart from the atmospheric chemistry, ozone is also an important green-house gas, contributing significantly to climate change. The paper is focused on ambient (ground-level, surface) ozone (O₃), which is considered, together with aerosol, to be currently the most dangerous ambient air pollutant. The formation and depletion of O₃ in the atmosphere, as well as its impacts are explained. Moreover, the O₃ monitoring in the Czech Republic, and spatial variability and time trends of its concentrations are presented, and impacts of elevated exposures in the Czech Republic are indicated.