LOCAL INVENTION MAY SOLVE OZONE PUZZLE

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33959, 27 September 1975, Page 16

LOCAL INVENTION MAY SOLVE OZONE PUZZLE

Concern about the depletion of the ozone layer in the stratosphere may result in valuable export orders for a Christchurch engineering firm.

Tatom Engineering, Ltd, will soon begin making a device invented by a University of Canterbury scientist, Dr Reid Basher, which measures the density of the ozone layer Dr Basher received assistance for his research’ from the Inventions Development Authority.

The device — a filter' ozone spectrophotometer — i passes sunlight through rotating filters. Readings from i'these filters are passed into a calculator which gives, within two minutes, informa- ■ tion about the amount of • ozone in the stratosphere. j Previous equipment de- ; signed to measure ozone j densities in the stratosphere , was cumbersome and unrei liable, said Mr R. Carter of Industrial Trade Associates. [ The new device was both I portable and accurate, he . said None of the devices will ' be sold without their being J tested both in New Zealand : and in the country in which they are to be used. 1 Industrial Trade Associates will handle world distribution of the device.

which will sell for about S 17.50<.' Mr Carter thinks that about 125 will be sold, 'earning more than s2m in overseas exchange Industrial Trade Associates have already had inquiries from Europe about the equipment, and expect die World Meteorological i Association and aircraft companies which are making I supersonic airliners to be ; interested in buying it. Exhaust gases of supersonic airliners arc blamed by some for the depletion of the ’ ozone layer The manufacture of the equipment required the import of only a few com- ; ponents. said Mr Carter Among them were filters and special small electric motors, which ran at con-tant and precise speeds The tine gearing and the assembly of equipment wer* within the , capability of Tatom Engin- ■ eenng I No firm orders for the de-

vice have been received, but the first two commercial prototypes of the spectrophotometer will be produced before Christmas. Some scientists have asserted that depletion of the ozone layer will result in health hazards and possibly dangerous climatic changes.

Studies of the ozone layer and the possible effects on it of aircraft exhausts and aerosol propellant gases have been hampered by a lack of reliable information about the actual density of the ozone in the stratosphere and about variations in it.

Through measurements using the Canterbury device in a number of countries, accurate information should become available which will enable scientists to resolve some of the questions about the effect of man-made gases on the ozone layer