NEGATIVE-IONS, OZONE, AND METASTABLE COMPONENTS IN DC OXYGEN GLOW-DISCHARGE

In a dc glow discharge in oxygen, the concentrations of minor components of O2(a1-DELTA-g), O2(b1-SIGMA-g), O3, O(1D), as well as negative ions and electrons have been measured. Balance equations have been derived which describe satisfactorily the stationary concentrations of these components as functions of gas pressure and discharge current. For the first time, the rate constants of important aeronomical reactions (a) O- + O2(a1-DELTA-g) --> O3 + e, (b) O2- + O2(a1-DELTA-g) --> 2O2 + e and (c) e + O3 --> O2- + O have been measured as functions of gas temperature T and mean energies of ions E(i) and electron E(e): K(a) = (2.5 +/- 0.5) . 10(-9) . (T/300)4 +/- 0.4 . (E(i)/0.04)-2.6 +/- 0.4 cm3/s for T = 385 - 605 K and E(i) = 0.10 - 0.66 eV; K(b) = (1.0 +/- 0.3) . 10(-10) . (T/300)-2 +/- 0.5 . (E(i)/0.04)0.23 +/- 0.05 cm3/s for T = 330 - 605 K and E(i) = 0.09 + 1.5 eV; K(c) for E(e) = 0.8 divided-by 5 eV.