[MoneySeeMoneyDoo]

Ozone: The study of molecules in the atmosphere

Hello sciencies 

I'm compiling a range of information related to gasses in the atmosphere.  It is a modernday analysis of pollution and the atmosphere.  I believe that there is more to learn.  I'll incorporate things like methane from the ocean, and SO2 from volcanos.

This post is about O3.  More specifically, the O3 cycle.  It is a chemistry question.
There is something called an O3 cycle.  It is similar to the Carbon Cycle.  It's a common chemical process.  What happens is that O3 molecules are created.  It is commonly accepted as deriving from pollution.  I believe that perhaps, O3 forms from only covalent molecules.
I'd like to relate Nitrogen Dioxide to the Carbon Cycle, and the Sun, and the Ozone Cycle, eventually. 
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The ozone cycle goes something like this:
Oxygen grabs an O1 molecule, after sunlight destroys the pollution.  This creates O3.  Then, from what I've read, O3 is broken by UV rays to create O2.  Then an O1 binds with another O2 to create more O3.
<so, i'm not entirely learned on the UV rays, or temperature or whatever that chemical reaction is>
Another part of this is that an O3 can take an O1.  I'm looking into this molecule (2O2).
This is why I'm posting:

Is 2O2 2 Oxygen molecules?  or Is it something else, like a covalent molecule?
... the research has probably been done, but I have no clue where to find it.


I intend to get some instruments like:  soil PH metering equipment, thermometer.  stuff i can measure temperature of troposphere with.
It's only important to me for now.  I probably will abandon this once I realize how global warming cannot be stopped.

Thanks for the help.

[Borek]

Where have you found 2O2? If it was in a reaction equation and written as 2O₂ it just means two molecules of oxygen, that's the way these things are written in chemistry - number in front of the formula means number of molecules taken/used/reacting/processed.

There several sources of ozone in the atmosphere, I can think of at least four - photochemical smog is only one of them. Three others are UV radiation creating the ozone layer (while it is chemically the same ozone it is produced and resides much higher in the atmosphere), lightnings during thunderstorms and volcanoes.

[Corribus]

Although tetraoxygen is thought to exist in a metastable state, in the context of the ozone cycle it is meant:

O₃ + O  2O₂
 
I.e., one molecule of ozone reacts with a lone oxygen atom to form two molecules of plain old dioxygen. I guess there is probably an O₄ intermediate that doesn't live very long. I'm sure this reaction has probably been studied in a high level of detail given the importance of ozone to atmospheric chemistry, but you'd have to look at the primary literature to find out more about it.

[marquis]

You might try finding a university or plant that works in polymers. One test done in the past( not so much anymore) was ozone aging. The samples ( usually stretched physical test strips) would be put in an ozone chamber for aging.  Then the standard physical tests would be run.  The idea was to see how much ozone degraded The samples.  And with some polymers, it could be substantial.The ozone chamber usually generates ozone by UV lamps, but check and see how the ones you run across generate ozone.  The same chamber might be usable for your work.  Good luck.