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Oxygen and Ozone Evolution in Palaeoatmospheres

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Biogeochemistry of Ancient and Modern Environments

Abstract

The two main processes that have been responsible for releasing O2 to the earth’s atmosphere are photosynthesis and photodissociation. Both involve the decomposition of water molecules and the removal of hydrogen from the atmosphere. The energy for photosynthesis in plants and bacteria is provided by visible light while UV photons of wavelength shorter than 240 nm are required for the direct, abiotic, photodissociation of atmospheric water vapour.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research School of Physical Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, 2601

    J. H. Carver

Authors
  1. J. H. Carver
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Baas Becking Geobiological Research Laboratory, Canberra, Australia

    P. A. Trudinger  & M. R. Walter  & 

  2. University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

    B. J. Ralph

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© 1980 Australian Academy of Science

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Carver, J.H. (1980). Oxygen and Ozone Evolution in Palaeoatmospheres. In: Trudinger, P.A., Walter, M.R., Ralph, B.J. (eds) Biogeochemistry of Ancient and Modern Environments. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-48739-2_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-48739-2_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-48741-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-48739-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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