Atmospheric water droplets can catalyse atom pair break-up via surface-induced resonance repulsion

Bostrom M;Persson C;Parsons D;Ellingsen SA;Sernelius BE

2013-01-01

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Abstract

We present the theory for a retarded resonance interaction between two identical atoms near a dielectric surface. In free space the resonance interaction between isotropically excited atom pairs is attractive at all atom-atom separations. We illustrate numerically how this interaction between oxygen, sulphur, hydrogen, or nitrogen atom pairs may turn repulsive near water droplets. The results provide evidence of a mechanism causing excited state atom pair breakage to occur in the atmosphere near water droplet