Chlorine monoxide ($\mathrm{ClO}$)

The radical $\mathrm{ClO}$ formed when a chlorine atom reacts with ozone. Its reaction partners and reservoirs depend on altitude and temperature; the chlorine monoxide dimer cycle is important under cold, activated polar conditions.

The chlorine peroxide structure formed by association of two ClO radicals with collisional stabilization. Its low-temperature stability and photodissociation provide a route for catalytic ozone destruction. In a laboratory flow system, changing among three ClO precursors and examining infrared spectra helped distinguish the predominant ClOOCl product from an alternative ClOClO isomer. Product assignment and ultraviolet absorption support the proposed intermediate, but do not alone measure an entire atmospheric cycle's ozone-loss rate.^[ref]