CALCULATION OF ROTATIONAL STATE-TO-STATE OZONE RELAXATION RATES FOR O-3-N-2 AND O-3-O-3 COLLISIONS

Rotational state-to-state rate constants have been calculated for O 3-N2 and O3-O3 by splitting global relaxation rates predicted by a semiclassical method accounting for both electrostatic and atom-atom interactions. Calculations are greatly sensitive to both the interaction potential and the splitting procedure. They also indicate a strong propensity for first-order quadrupolar transitions in the case of O 3-N2 collisions whereas both first-order quadrupolar- and dipolar-type transitions are dominant for self-relaxation. The calculated rates have been introduced into a kinetic model describing rotational energy transfers. Although the results are in good agreement with most of the available experimental data, they show that changes in J larger than two for a single collision should be accounted for. © 1994 American Institute of Physics.