The relative ionization probabilities of laser-detonation hyperthermal O, O2, and Ar components in Ar+O2 mixed molecular beams were evaluated for investigation of the effect of the space environment. In a high-energy beam, the complete decomposition of O2 was observed from the time-of-flight (TOF) spectra, which was due to high-energy collisions between O2 and Ar. Relative ionization probabilities of O and O2 of 0.27 and 0.79, respectively, with respect to Ar were evaluated by assuming the complete decomposition of O2 in the beam. These values can be applied in studies on the effect of the space environment in the sub-low Earth orbit region where simultaneous hyperthermal N2 and O bombardment should be simulated.
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