Convective updrafts in thunderstorms prolong the lifetime of ozone (O-
3,) and its anthropogenic precursor NOx [nitric oxide (NO) + nitrogen
dioxide (NO2)] by carrying these gases rapidly upward from the boundar
y layer into a regime where the O-3 production efficiency is higher, c
hemical destruction is slower, and surface deposition is absent. On th
e other hand, the upper troposphere is relatively rich in O-3 and NOx
from natural sources such as downward transport from the stratosphere
and lightning; convective overturning conveys the O-3 and NOx toward t
he Earth's surface where these components are more efficiently removed
from the atmosphere. Simulations with a three-dimensional global mode
l suggest that the net result of these counteractive processes is a 20
percent overall reduction in total tropospheric O-3. However, the net
atmospheric oxidation efficiency is enhanced by 10 to 20 percent.