The role of symmetry in the mass independent isotope effect in ozone

Abstract

Understanding the internal distribution of “anomalous” isotope enrichments has important implications for validating theoretical postulates on the origin of these enrichments in molecules such as ozone and for understanding the transfer of these enrichments to other compounds in the atmosphere via mass transfer. Here, we present an approach, using the reaction NO2− + O3, for assessing the internal distribution of the Δ17O anomaly and the δ18O enrichment in ozone produced by electric discharge. The Δ17O results strongly support the symmetry mechanism for generating mass independent fractionations, and the δ18O results are consistent with published data. Positional Δ17O and δ18O enrichments in ozone can now be more effectively used in photochemical models that use mass balance oxygen atom transfer mechanisms to infer atmospheric oxidation chemistry.

Keywords

oxygen, nitrate, oxidation

Date of this Version

2009

DOI

10.1073/pnas.0812755106

Volume

106

Issue

14

Pages

5493-5493

Link Out to Full Text

http://www.pnas.org/content/106/14/5493

Link to Full Text

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