Isotope dependence of the lifetime of ozone complexes formed in O + O2 collisions

Abstract

Results of classical trajectory calculations are presented for the lifetime of ozone complexes formed in collisions of O atoms with O₂ diatoms. The average trajectory lifetimes for the complexes ¹⁶O₃, ¹⁶O¹⁸O₂ and ¹⁸O¹⁶O₂ are significantly different. The difference decreases with increasing collision energy and is shown to be due to the difference in the quantum mechanical zero-point energies of reactants and products, which is incorporated in a phenomenological way in the classical calculations.