Recommendation of a consensus value of the ozone absorption cross-section

A detailed review and analysis of literature values for the absorption cross-section of ozone
at room temperature at the mercury-line wavelength (253.65 nm, air) is reported. Data from
fourteen independent sets of measurements spanning the years 1959–2016 were considered.
The present analysis is based upon a revised assessment of all Type A and Type B uncertainty
components for each previously reported cross-section. A consensus value for the absorption
cross-section of 1.1329(35) × 10−17 cm2 molecule−1 is recommended based on statistical
analysis of the weighted data. This new cross-section value is 1.23% lower and its uncertainty sixfold smaller than the uncertainty of the conventionally accepted reference value reported by Hearn (1961 Proc. Phys. Soc. 78 932–40).