Research conducted by German scientists, published in the American journal Nature, reveals that sunlight is responsible for cleansing Earth’s polluted atmosphere.
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(Photo: deanmckenzie.org) |
According to this study, ultraviolet rays from sunlight significantly stimulate the atmospheric “cleaners.” As a result, the lower atmosphere near Earth has the ability to self-cleanse by removing pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, methane, and carbon monoxide.
The German scientists identified these atmospheric cleaners as hydrogen radicals produced when ultraviolet rays from sunlight break ozone molecules into oxygen atoms. These oxygen atoms react with water to form highly reactive hydrogen radicals that interact with atmospheric pollutants.
Data collected over five years show that the amount of hydrogen radicals remains relatively constant each year and solely depends on the amount of ultraviolet rays from the sun.
The German researchers affirm that the self-cleaning mechanism of the atmosphere is still functioning effectively today, but the levels of hydrogen radicals could vary if the ozone layer protecting Earth thins.
