Kinetic studies on the temperature dependence of the BrO + BrO reaction using laser flash photolysis

The BrO self-reaction, BrO + BrO → products (1), has been studied using laser flash photolysis coupled with UV absorption spectroscopy over the temperature range T = 266.5-321.6 K, under atmospheric pressure. BrO radicals were generated via laser photolysis of Br(2) in the presence of excess ozone. Both BrO and O(3) were monitored via UV absorption spectroscopy using charge-coupled device (CCD) detection. Simultaneous fitting to both temporal concentration traces allowed determination of the rate constant of the two channels of , BrO + BrO → 2Br + O(2) (1a); BrO + BrO → Br(2) + O(2) (1b), hence the calculation of the overall rate of and the branching ratio, α: k(1a)/cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) = (1.92 ± 1.54) × 10(-12) exp[(126 ± 214)/T], k(1b)/cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) = (3.4 ± 0.8) × 10(-13) exp[(181 ± 70)/T], k(1)/cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) = (2.3 ± 1.5) × 10(-12) exp(134 ± 185 /T) and α = k(1a)/k(1) = (0.84 ± 0.09) exp[(-7 ± 32)/T]. Errors are 1σ, statistical only. Results from this work show a weaker temperature dependence of the branching ratio for channel (1a) than that found in previous work, leading to values of α at temperatures typical of the Polar Boundary Layer higher than those reported by previous studies. This implies a shift of the partitioning between the two channels of the BrO self-reaction towards the bromine atom and hence directly ozone-depleting channel (1a).