Publication Date:
2019-08-14
Description:
Laboratory experiments have been performed with O and O2 in their ground electronic states to study the distribution of all possible ozone isotopes formed. Results show that with respect to (O-48)3, the two symmetric molecules O-17O-17O-17 and O-18O-18O-18 are depleted, in good agreement with standard recombination theory. An enrichment of about 18 percent is found in the asymmetric molecule O-16O-17O-18, while all others carry about 2/3 of that. A comparison with past laboratory and stratospheric ozone isotope measurements shows a standard enrichment which resides in asymmetric molecules only, and leads to an enrichment of stratospheric (O-49)3 and (O-50)3 of 8-9 percent; this has been observed in recent balloon experiments. The enrichments in the stratosphere can reach 40 percent at certain altitudes. Only when ozone was formed in an electric discharge process have larger enrichments been measured in laboratory experiments, affecting both symmetric and asymmetric molecules.
Keywords:
GEOPHYSICS
Type:
Geophysical Research Letters (ISSN 0094-8276); 20; 11; p. 1031-1034.
Format:
text
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