The OH( v = 9) + O 3 reaction pathway

The oxygen‐hydrogen system, including the reactive species H, O, H 2 , O 2 , O 3 , OH, and HO 2 , is very complex, and contains numerous reactions whose kinetics and branches have been insufficiently explored. In the present study we use computer modeling to simulate observations made in a 300‐K ozone‐hydrogen mixture, in which a critical H 2 pressure leads to rapid ozone decomposition, and generation of high concentrations of atomic oxygen. Initiation of the reaction chain involves heterogeneous O and/or H atom production, and the chain branching step is the reaction OH( v ) + O 3 → OH + O + O 2 , which is shown to be the predominant pathway for these reactants. The critical H 2 pressure (ca. 3 torr) sets important constraints upon the system kinetics.