Rate constants for deactivation of N2(A) v=2–7 by O, O2, and NO

Abstract

Rate constants for N2(A,v) quenching by O, for levels v=2–7, by O2 for levels v=3–7, and by NO for levels v=2–4, have been measured in this work. This is the first data set for the quenching by O of vibrational levels v>3. The results of this work are based on the measurement by laser induced fluorescence (LIF) of N2(A,v) decay in a rf pulsed postdischarge, supported by LIF measurements of NO density. O atom density is deduced by N2(A,v=0,1) decay using the known rate constants of N2(A,v=0,1) quenching by O, O2, and NO. Finally, from appropriate scaling of LIF results for the various v levels, N2(A,v) vibrational distributions are deduced, showing a quite low vibrational excitation of the triplet metastable, characterized by an average Boltzmann vibrational temperature of the order of 2000–2500 K with some superimposed structures.