A Case Study of Stratospheric Ozone Affecting Ground-Level Oxidant Concentrations

Abstract

During the predawn hours of 19 November 1972, the air pollution monitoring station at Santa Rosa, Calif., recorded five consecutive hours of oxidant concentrations in excess of the present National Ambient Air Quality Standard. The highest of the hourly averages was 0.23 ppm. From a detailed analysis of the meteorological conditions surrounding this incident, it is shown that the ozone responsible for the anomalous concentrations originated in the stratosphere and not from anthropogenic sources.