TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE-DEPENDENCE OF OZONE FORMATION RATES IN THE RANGE 1-1000-BAR AND 90-370-K

The recombination O + O2 + M→O3 + Min the bath gases M = He, Ar, and N2 was studied over the temperature range 90-370 K and the pressure range 1-1000 bar. The temperature and pressure dependences of the reaction rates show an anomalous behavior which is attributed to superpositions of mechanisms involving energy transfer, complex formation and participation of weakly bound electronically excited O3 states. The results also show an analogy to oxygen isotope enhancements observed in ozone recombination and dissociation. Experiments in compressed liquid N 2 were also made showing a transition to diffusion control. © 1990 American Institute of Physics.