Dynamics of OH + O2 vibrational relaxation processes

Abstract

The vibrational relaxation processes occurring during collisions of O₂ and OH are investigated for vibrationally excited O₂ (OH) colliding with OH (O₂) in its ground state. All calculations employed the quasiclassical trajectory method and the realistic double many-body expansion (DMBE I) potential energy surface for ground-state HO₃. Although a multiquantum mechanism turns out to dominate, two regimes for deactivation of high and low excited molecules have been found. A comparison with available experimental data is also reported.