Abiotic molecular oxygen production -- ionic pathway from sulphur dioxide

Molecular oxygen, O\(_2\), is vital to life on Earth and possibly on other planets. Although the biogenic processes leading to its accumulation in Earth's atmosphere are well understood, its abiotic origin is still not fully established. Here, we report combined experimental and theoretical evi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inarXiv.org
Main Authors Wallner, Måns, Jarraya, Mahmoud, Saida Ben Yaghlane, Olsson, Emelie, Ideböhn, Veronica, Squibb, Richard J, Nyman, Gunnar, Eland, John H D, Feifel, Raimund, Hochlaf, Majdi
Format Paper
LanguageEnglish
Published Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 28.08.2021
Subjects
Astrochemistry
Oxidation
Oxygen production
Planetary atmospheres
Sulfur dioxide
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Summary:Molecular oxygen, O\(_2\), is vital to life on Earth and possibly on other planets. Although the biogenic processes leading to its accumulation in Earth's atmosphere are well understood, its abiotic origin is still not fully established. Here, we report combined experimental and theoretical evidence for electronic-state-selective production of O\(_2\) from SO\(_2\), a major chemical constituent of many planetary atmospheres and one which played an important part on Earth in the Great Oxidation event. The O\(_2\) production involves dissociative double ionisation of SO\(_2\) leading to efficient formation of the O\(_2^+\) ion which can be converted to abiotic O\(_2\) by electron neutralisation. We suggest that this formation process may contribute significantly to the abundance of O\(_2\) and related ions in planetary atmospheres, especially in those where CO\(_2\), which can lead to O\(_2\) production by different mechanisms, is not the dominant component.
ISSN:2331-8422