NOx Emissions

I have this to say in response to Betsy Ancker-Johnson, the lady from General Motors, whose letter appeared in The Times on Jan. 31. Most scientists do agree about the role of NOx in ozone formation. To repeat what was said in Allan Schoenherr’s letter to The Times (Jan. 14), it has been known since A.J. Haagen-Smit’s study of 1951 that NOx, in the presence of sunlight, contributes to ozone formation. Also, let us not forget that NOx, when combined with water in the air, forms nitric acid, which contributes to acid fog and acid rain. The intelligent reader will not allow corporate puppets to cloud the issue. NOx emissions, as well as hydrocarbons, must be controlled.

DIANA J. COSAND

Fullerton