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Huge Quantum Symmetry Effect in the O + O2 Exchange Reaction
Tammineni Rajagopala Rao1, Grégoire Guillon1, Susanta Mahapatra2
1†Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne, UMR CNRS 6303, Université de Bourgogne, 21078 Dijon Cedex, France.
Abstract:
We report extensive, full quantum-mechanical calculations for the (16)O + (16)O(16)O → (16)O(16)O + (16)O collisions, for both inelastic and atom exchange processes, using a time-independent method based on hyperspherical coordinates. The rates obtained in the present study are much larger than the previously reported ones for this system. The discrepancy is attributed to a huge symmetry effect that was missing in the studies so far. This effect differs from the well-known isotope effect. Importance of this quantum effect is further confirmed by comparison with results for the (16)O + (18)O(18)O → (16)O(18)O + (18)O, exchange reaction.
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