Measurements of the temperature-dependent rate coefficient for the reaction O(3P) + NO2 → NO + O2

Measurements of the absolute rate coefficient for the reaction O(3P) + NO2→NO+O2 were made by the discharge-flow resonance fluorescence technique over the temperature range 216–413 K at pressures between 1 and 2.5 Torr. The measured rate coefficients for atmospherically relevant temperatures can be expressed in Arrhenius form as k(T)=(5.64±0.12)×10−12 exp[(165±10)/T] cm3 molecule−1 s−1, where the quoted uncertainties are 2σ precision. This result is compared with previous measurements of the rate coefficient and implications for the importance of this reaction in the middle atmosphere are discussed.