Natural Science Forum / Biology / Paleontology / July 2005

Not that I am aware of.  There have been some attempts to relate Ozone
layer thickness to global temperature which would then presumably be
reflected in O16/O18 ratios in deposited rocks.  I have no idea if
there is any realistic hope of getting meaningful results that way.
The only thing I can suggest is searching the internet on "ozone
layer" and the names of various geologic periods -- e.g. Devonian,
Pleistocere.  If there are any serious papers on the subject, you have
some chance of stumbling onto them that way.

       It may be possible to use the properties of dust within
       ice layers as a proxy for ozone.  But even if this can be
       done it could at most only give us estimates as far back
       in time as we have surviving ice - a few hundred thousand
       years, less if the thinning and compaction of older ice
       degrades the evidence.

--
William Hyde
EOS Department
Duke University