Vibrational deactivation studies of OH X2Π (v = 1–5) by N2and O2

Abstract

The deactivation kinetics of vibrationally excited OH X 2Π (v = 1–5) were studied using a pulsed laser photolysis-pulsed laser induced fluorescence technique. Temporal profiles of OH (v) were obtained by exciting off-diagonal (Δv = −1,−3) transitions in the A–X band of OH and monitoring the diagonal, blue shifted fluorescence. Photolysis of O3 at 266 nm was used to produce O1D which reacted rapidly with H2, CH4 and H2O to produce OH (v). Deactivation rate coefficients for OH (v = 1–5) with O2 and N2 and for OH (v = 2,1) with O3 were obtained. The deactivation rate coefficients show an exponential dependence on vibrational level for both O2 and N2, however O2 is much more efficient.