Electronic-excitation transfer collisions in flames—V. Cross sections for quenching and doublet-mixing of K(4 2P)-doublet by N 2, O 2, H 2 and H 2O

Abstract

Weighted average cross sections for quenching of the K(4 2 P)-doublet by N 2, H 2, O 2 and H 2O, measured in flames, show no significant temperature dependence in the range from 1500 to 2500K. Doublet mixing cross sections for K(4 2 P 3 2 ↔4 2 P 1 2 ) transitions were measured at 1720K for N 2, O 2, H 2O. The ratios of both mixing cross sections were measured independently and were found to agree with the detailed balance condition within 2 per cent. It is shown that an ionic intermediate-state model cannot explain the large magnitude of N 2− mixing cross sections.