On the "ozone deficit problem": what are Ox and HOx catalytic cycles for ozone depletion hiding?

Abstract

Studies on the role of vibrational excitation in the reactants for the O2 + O2, OH + O2, and HO2 + O2 reactions show that they can be important sources of ozone in the stratosphere, particularly at conditions of local thermodynamic disequilibrium. The results suggest that the Ox and HOx cycles commonly viewed as catalytic sinks of ozone may actually lead to its production, and hence help to clarify the "ozone deficit problem". This paper also presents an explanation for the general overestimation of the OH abundance in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere through standard HOx chemistry.