Formation of Ozone by Optically Excited Mercury Vapor

In the course of experiments [1] on the combination of hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of mercury vapor activated by absorption of the resonance radiation λ 2537 Å, it was found that the irradiation of oxygen alone in presence of mercury produced a small but still noticeable decrease of pressure. This effect might be due to ozone formation and subsequent oxidation of mercury, or to some other cause. The present experiments were accordingly undertaken to determine whether mercury vapor in the presence of its resonance radiation would cause formation of ozone.