Laboratory studies of heavy ozone

Dissociation of ozone in the Chappuis bands has been used as an O atom source to study isotope effects occurring in the O(3P) + O2(3 Sigma g) recombination reaction. The ozone produced was found to be enriched in both of its heavy isotopes. The pressure dependence (5-1000 torr) and temperature dependence (127-360 K) of this isotope effect have been investigated. The enrichment is approximately constant from 5 torr to 100 torr and decreases at higher pressures. It increases with temperature, with O3-50 showing a slightly faster rate of increase than O3-45. The results of this experiment have clearly isolated the source of the isotope effect to the gas phase O(3P) + O2(3 Sigma g) recombination reaction.