Unit 11: Atmospheric Pollution // Visuals

Animation(s)

Boundary layer: The boundary layer traps the pollution in the basin of Mexico City. View animation
London fog: The worst air pollution disaster on record occurred in London in 1952. View animation
Ozone: The ozone layer protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet rays, but ground level ozone can cause irritation of the respiratory system, permanently scarring lung tissue. View animation
Ozone production: When pollutants interact in the presence of sunlight, they can cause a vicious cycle of ground level ozone production. View animation

Photograph(s)

Air pollution on the Autobaun in Germany, 2005: In many cities, current concentrations of particulate matter exceed the limit values established by the European Union. In the first 3 months of 2005, for example, the daily limit value was exceeded on more than 30 days in several German cities. View image
Catalytic converter mounted in a car's exhaust system: Thanks to mandatory emission limits, catalytic converters have become standard pollution control features on passenger cars over the past several decades. View image
Fire plumes over Southern California, October 26, 2003: Forest fires produce pollutants including carbon monoxide, ozone, and aerosols. View image
Haze pollution, Acadia National Park, Maine: Haze pollution can drastically reduce visibility, even at locations like Acadia National Park that are far downwind from aerosol pollution sources. View image
Ozone damage to plant leaves: Ozone can stunt plant growth, produce mottled leaves and needles, suppress flower and bud formation, and make plants more vulnerable to fungal infections. View image
Smog over Los Angeles: Geography, climate, and a high concentration of pollution sources create endemic air pollution problems in the Los Angeles basin. View image

Graphic(s)

Acid tolerance ranges of common freshwater organisms: Aquatic species have varying levels of tolerance for acidification, but few survive below pH values of about 5.0. View image
Antarctic ozone hole, October 4, 2004: Reactions that produce ozone-destroying free chlorine atoms take place on frozen crystals in polar stratospheric clouds. View image
Chlorine-catalyzed ozone depletion mechanism: One chlorine atom can destroy more than 100,000 ozone molecules before it is removed from the stratosphere. View image
Climate forcings (W/m2): 1850-2000: Net climate forcing is the product of positive and negative forcing by many greenhouse gases, aerosols, and other contributing factors. View image
Conceptual biogeochemical mercury cycle: Fish consumption is one of the main routes by which humans can be exposed to high levels of environmental mercury. View image
Hydrogen ion concentration, 2005: Acid rain is most severe in the midwestern and northeastern United States because the Midwest has a large number of coal-burning power plants that send SO₂ and NO_x emissions eastward. View image
Impact of acid rain on forest nutrient cycles: Long-term exposure to acid rain leaches nutrients from soil and makes plants vulnerable to nutrient deficiencies. View image
Mercury in sediment profiles from straits south of Norway: Environmental mercury levels have increased dramatically since the start of the Industrial Revolution. View image
Nonattainment and maintenance areas in the U.S. 8-hour ozone standard: Prevailing winds in North America blow from west to east. Many areas downwind of large cities suffer from high ozone pollution. View image
Ozone Production: Ozone is produced in the upper stratosphere by intense ultraviolet radiation, which breaks oxygen molecules into oxygen atoms that react with oxygen molecules to form ozone molecules. View image
Processes related to atmospheric composition: A range of gases and particulate materials are constantly mixing and interacting in the atmosphere. Some effects from these pollutants are felt at the local level, while others are regional or global. View image
Satellite observations of tropospheric NO₂, 2006: Global NO_x emissions are increasing, driven by rising demand for energy and transportation. NO_x contributes to many air pollution problems, including ground-level ozone, smog, acid rain, and climate change. View image
Size comparisons for aerosol pollution: Some particles are large enough to see with the naked eye, while others can only be viewed under an electron microscope. View image
Total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) aerosol index of smoke and dust absorption, 2004: Major fine aerosol sources include fossil fuel and biomass combustion and high-temperature industrial processes. Industrialization in Asia is producing high levels of aerosol pollution. View image
U.S. Economic Growth and Criteria Pollutant Emissions, 1970-2006: Major pollutant emissions have trended downward on the whole in most industrialized nations since national governments began to adopt controls in the 1970s. View image

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