Stehr, J., D. Krankowsky, K. Mauersberger, Collection and Analysis of Atmospheric Ozone Samples, Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry, vol. 24, pp. 317-325, 1996.
Anomalies found in the isotope ratios of ozone are traceable to the ozone formation process. Metastable electronic states may be responsible for the preferred production of the heavy molecules. While laboratory isotope data and tropospheric results agree well in the magnitude of isotope enrichments, stratospheric measurements often show higher values. Only through the collection of ozone samples can sufficienty large amounts of gas be obtained to analyze the three isotopes O3-48, O3-49, and O3-50. Collector systems have been developed and successfully operated in the troposphere and in the stratosphere. They will play an imporant role in future atmospheric oxygen isotope studies.
Notation comment: O3-49 refers to a molecule composed of two oxygen atoms of mass 16 and one of mass 17, for a total mass of 49.
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