[How did the earth's oxygen atmosphere originate?].
The planet earth did not carry an oxygen atmosphere from the beginning. Though oxygen could arise from radiation mediated water splitting, these processes were not efficient enough to create a global gas atmosphere. Oxygen in the latter is a product of the photosynthetic activity of early green organisms. Only after biological mass-formation of oxygen the UV-protective ozone layer could develop, then enabeling life to move from water onto land. This took billions of years. The basics of the processes of biological oxygen liberation and utilization are described in the following as well as the importance of their steady state equilibrium. Also a hint is given to oxygen as a toxic compound though being a chemical prerequisite for aerobic life on earth.
Schäfer
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Institut für Biochemie, Universität Lübeck. guenter.schaefer@biochem.uni-luebeck.de.
D000388:Air / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001105:Archaea / Q000145:classification; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification; D018534:Earth, Planet; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010802:Phylogeny; D014867:Water
D005740:Gases; D014867:Water; D010100:Oxygen