O(1S) production from oxygen atom recombination

Abstract

An overall rate coefficient of 1.4×10−30 exp(−1300/RT) cm6 molecule−2⋅sec−1 was determined for oxygen atom recombination leading to production of O(1S). This rate coefficient refers either to the recombination of three oxygen atoms (the Chapman mechanism) or to the more conventional recombination of two oxygen atoms with a third body, followed by energy transfer from an activated O2 molecule to a third O(3P) atom (the Barth mechanism). Measurements were made between 200 °K and 300 °K, representative of the thermospheric region in which the green airglow [the 5577 Å O(1S) →O(1D) transition] is observed.