“Because ozone can circulate around the globe, emissions of ozone producing substances on one continent can affect air quality on other continents.”

The subject of background ozone is very important in air-quality management and research. Rising background levels are a concern due to the fact that they represent the fraction of pollution which cannot be controlled at the local scale. Trends in background ozone can affect local emission reduction efforts.

  Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or synthesis of knowledge?

The paper presents a synthesis of knowledge regarding ozone background levels and trends on a global scale.

  Would you summarize the significance of your paper in layman’s terms?

Ozone pollution affects human health. Because ozone can circulate around the globe, emissions of ozone-producing substances on one continent can affect air quality on other continents. We need to understand both the local and background components of ozone pollution if we are to be successful at cleaning the air.

  How did you become involved in this research and were any particular problems encountered along the way?

This research was part of my work on characterizing ozone pollution on the west coast of British Columbia. In order to understand the effect of local ozone pollution, it was essential to understand the effect of the background component. The biggest challenge in putting together this work was synthesizing data collected over many decades, sometimes with different measuring techniques.

  Are there any social or political implications for your research?

Ozone pollution is a concern because there are no threshold levels associated with health effects. Consequently it is important not only to ensure that local air-quality standards and objectives are met but also to reduce ozone pollution to the lowest possible levels. Since ozone pollution has both local and trans-continental components, it is important to address emission reductions on all scales.