Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!phri!roy
From: roy@phri.UUCP (Roy Smith)
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: Re: What processes create ozone?
Message-ID: <3095@phri.UUCP>
Date: 3 Jan 88 17:20:28 GMT
References: <159@heurikon.UUCP>
Reply-To: roy@phri.UUCP (Roy Smith)
Organization: Public Health Research Inst. (NY, NY)
Lines: 18
Keywords: ozone

In article <159@heurikon.UUCP> lampman@heurikon.UUCP (Ray Lampman) writes:
> Are there any chemical or electrical processes that produce ozone?
> Any help will be greatly appreciated.

	Ionizing radiation and/or strong electric fields will produce ozone
(O3) from atmospheric molecular oxygen (O2).  Our Apple LaserWriters
(which, like most photocopy machines, use a strong electric field to
transfer the tonor in the "corona assembly") for example, often produce
ozone, as evidenced by the characteristic sharp, acrid (but, to my nose,
mildly pleasant) odor.  Strong UV lights will do the same.  So will
electric arcs, such as from welding.  I have heard (but don't really know
if it's true) that the pressures under the wheels of locomotives can
produce ozone as well.  I do know, from experience, that they do a fair job
of flattening pennies. :-)
-- 
Roy Smith, {allegra,cmcl2,philabs}!phri!roy
System Administrator, Public Health Research Institute
455 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016