Ultraviolet absorption cross sections of chlorine oxide (Cl2O2) between 210 and 410 nm

The ultraviolet and infrared absorption cross sections of Cl{sub 2}O{sub 2} have been measured. The transient Cl{sub 2}O{sub 2} molecule was produced by using the gas-phase reaction ClO + ClO + M {yields} Cl{sub 2}O{sub 2} + M. Three independent ClO radical source reactions were used in this study: Cl + O{sub 3}, Cl + Cl{sub 2}O, and Cl + OClO. The Cl{sub 2}O{sub 2} UV absorption spectrum was recorded over the range 200-450 nm with a diode array spectrometer over the temperature range 205-250 K. The Cl{sub 2}O{sub 2} infrared absorption spectrum was recorded with a high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer over the range 500-2,000 cm{sup {minus}1}. Both spectrometers were optically coupled to a fast flow multipass absorption cell. The UV absorption spectrum of Cl{sub 2}O{sub 2} is a structureless continuum with a peak at 245 nm. The measurable absorption extends out to 410 nm. The UV absorption cross section at the peak of the spectrum, 245 nm, was measured to be (6.5{sub {minus}0.5}{sup +0.8}) {times} 10{sup {minus}18} cm{sup 2}. Infrared absorption features centered at 560, 653, and 750 cm{sup {minus}1} have been assigned to the Cl{sub 2}O{sub 2} molecule. The present results are compared with other reported UV andmore » IR measurements and the sources of discrepancies are discussed. The role of Cl{sub 2}O{sub 2} in atmospheric chemistry and in particular the Antarctic ozone hole are discussed.« less