Tropospheric ozone is a harmful pollutant and a significant player in atmospheric chemistry. A research highlight from AGU Eos describes a natural process that helps remove it: mineral dust interacts with marine halogens to drive chemistry that destroys ozone in the lower atmosphere.
This dust-activated halogen chemistry is not yet well understood and is often missing from atmospheric models. According to the highlight, it represents an important but under-studied sink, meaning current estimates of the ozone budget may overlook a substantial removal pathway.
Because tropospheric ozone affects the atmosphere's ability to oxidise other compounds, as well as plant health and human respiratory health, better accounting for this mechanism could improve predictions of air quality and climate impacts.