Reaction Rate Measurements of O(3P) Atoms by Resonance Fluorescence. II O(3P)+CO+M→CO2+M; M=He, Ar, N2

Abstract

Absolute rate constants for the reaction O(3P)+CO+M→CO2+M have been determined at 300°K for M=He, Ar, and N2, using oxygen resonance radiation as a probe to monitor the relative atom concentration during decay time measurements. The rate constants are, in units of cm6 molecules−2·second−1, kHe = 6 ± 1.5 × 10−36, kAr = 7 ± 3.5 × 10−36, and kN2 = 1.4 ± 0.4 × 10−35. The O(3P) is produced by O2 photodisociation at 1470 Å, at which wavelength O(1D) is also formed. The observations indicate that the O(1D)–CO interaction results in O(1D) deactivation to O(3P), not CO2 formation.