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Kinetics investigations of atmospheric chemical reactions

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:6906046

Two separate gas-phase kinetics investigations were performed using a low-pressure fast-flow system with mass spectrometer detection. The first part of this research was a study of the atmospheric reactivity of diatomic sulfur, S/sub 2/. Rates of the reactions of sulfur with O, O/sub 2/, O/sub 3/, N/sub 2/O, NO, and NO/sub 2/ were investigated at 409 K and low pressure (0.89-3.0 Torr) in a discharge-flow system with mass spectrometric detection. The second investigation involves a study of the synergistic coupling of atmospheric bromine and chlorine chemistry. Recent measurements of ozone in the stratosphere over Antarctica have shown that the springtime ozone column decreased by 40% from 1960 to 1985. Both dynamical and chemical theories have been advanced to explain the formation of the Antarctic ozone hole. Prominent among these theories is that a synergistic interaction between gas-phase BrO and ClO radicals may be responsible for springtime ozone loss. The overall rate constant for the reaction, BrO + ClO ..-->.. Br + OClO ..-->.. Br + Cl + O/sub 2/ ..-->.. BrCl + O/sub 2/, has been measured over the temperature range 241-408 K. The rate constant for the overall reaction equals (8.2 +/- 1.0) 10/sup -12/ cm/sup 3//molecule s, independent of temperature.

Research Organization:
Colorado Univ., Boulder (USA)
OSTI ID:
6906046
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English