A reduced dimensionality model of ozone: Semiclassical treatment of van der Waals states

Development of a potential energy surface for the O3–Ar system: rovibrational states of the complex

Collisional stabilization is an important step in the process of atmospheric formation of ozone.

On stabilization of scattering resonances in recombination reaction that forms ozone

Calculations of energy transfer in the recombination reaction that forms ozone are carried out within the framework of the mixed quantum/classical theory and using the dimensionally reduced 2D-model of ozone molecule, with bending motion neglected. Recombination rate coefficients are obtained at room temperature for symmetric and asymmetric isotopomers of singly and doubly substituted isotopologues. The processes of resonance formation, spontaneous decay, collisional dissociation, and stabilization by bath gas (Ar) are all characterized and taken into account within the steady-state approximation for kinetics. The focus is on stabilization step, where the mysterious isotopic η-effect was thought to originate from. Our results indicate no difference in cross sections for stabilization of scatteringresonances in symmetric and asymmetric isotopomers. As practical results, the general and simple analytic models for stabilization and dissociation cross sections are presented, which can be applied to resonances in any ozone molecule, symmetric or asymmetric, singly or doubly substituted. Present calculations show some isotope effect that looks similar to the experimentally observed η-effect, and the origin of this phenomenon is in the rates of formation/decay of scatteringresonances, determined by their widths, that are somewhat larger in asymmetric isotopomers than in their symmetric analogues. However, the approximate two-dimensional model used here is insufficient for consistent and reliable description of all features of the isotopic effect in ozone. Calculations using an accurate 3D model are still needed.

Collisional stabilization of van der Waals states of ozone

The mixed quantum-classical theory developed earlier [M. Ivanov and D. Babikov, J. Chem. Phys. 134, 144107 (2011)] is employed to treat the collisional energy transfer and the ro-vibrational energy flow in a recombination reaction that forms ozone. Assumption is that the van der Waals states of ozone are formed in the O + O(2) collisions, and then stabilized into the states of covalent well by collisions with bath gas. Cross sections for collision induced dissociation of van der Waals states of ozone, for their stabilization into the covalent well, and for their survival in the van der Waals well are computed. The role these states may play in the kinetics of ozone formation is discussed.

Mixed quantum-classical theory for the collisional energy transfer and the rovibrational energy flow: application to ozone stabilization

A mixed quantum-classical approach to the description of collisional energy transfer is proposed in which the vibrational motion of an energized molecule is treated quantum mechanically using wave packets, while the collisional motion of the molecule and quencher and the rotational motion of the molecule are treated using classical trajectories. This accounts rigorously for quantization of vibrational states, zero-point energy, scattering resonances, and permutation symmetry of identical atoms, while advantage is taken of the classical scattering regime. Energy is exchanged between vibrational, rotational, and translational degrees of freedom while the total energy is conserved. Application of this method to stabilization of the van der Waals states in ozone is presented. Examples of mixed quantum-classical trajectories are discussed, including an interesting example of supercollision. When combined with an efficient grid mapping procedure and the reduced dimensionality approximation, the method becomes very affordable computationally.