Gas phase studies of reactive organic radicals: a novel approach using mass spectrometry. Radical reactions play a crucial role in a range of important chemistries, ranging from the formation of photochemical smog to the accumulation of pathogens in the ageing body. Despite their importance, the reactions of many radicals are poorly understood because of current experimental limitations. In this project we propose to develop two new and broadly applicable techniques for probing radical chemistry ....Gas phase studies of reactive organic radicals: a novel approach using mass spectrometry. Radical reactions play a crucial role in a range of important chemistries, ranging from the formation of photochemical smog to the accumulation of pathogens in the ageing body. Despite their importance, the reactions of many radicals are poorly understood because of current experimental limitations. In this project we propose to develop two new and broadly applicable techniques for probing radical chemistry in the gas phase via novel applications of mass spectrometry. Combined with quantum chemical calculations and state-of-the-art thermodynamic measurements these methods will provide a comprehensive understanding of the reactivity of key organic radicals.Read moreRead less
Anomalous isotope effects in atmospheric ozone and carbon dioxide. The anomalous isotopic composition of atmospheric ozone, which has been a puzzle for over twenty years, will be investigated by laboratory and atmospheric measurements. An understanding of the source of this anomaly and its effect on the isotopic composition of other trace atmospheric gases, especially CO2, would provide unique opportunities for constraining the tropospheric and stratospheric ozone budgets and determining the his ....Anomalous isotope effects in atmospheric ozone and carbon dioxide. The anomalous isotopic composition of atmospheric ozone, which has been a puzzle for over twenty years, will be investigated by laboratory and atmospheric measurements. An understanding of the source of this anomaly and its effect on the isotopic composition of other trace atmospheric gases, especially CO2, would provide unique opportunities for constraining the tropospheric and stratospheric ozone budgets and determining the history of a particular air mass. The method of detection will be high resolution FTIR spectroscopy which, in contrast to traditional mass-spectrometric methods, provides information about the position of the heavy atom in an enriched ozone molecule and requires no sample preparation.Read moreRead less