Observation of the spin-forbidden O(1D)+O2(X 3Σg−) channel in the 317–327 nm photolysis of ozone

The photofragment excitation spectra for O(1D) production from the 317–327 nm photolysis of ozone under supersonic free-jet and low-temperature flow conditions show structure superimposed on an underlying continuum. Doppler profiles of the nascent O(1D) photofragments confirm that the O(1D) formed by photolysis at the wavelengths of the peaks in the photofragment excitation spectrum arises from the hitherto unobserved spin-forbidden predissociation to O(1D)+O2(X 3Σg−) products.