REACTIONS OF HIGHLY EXCITED OXYGEN-ATOMS O(2P(3)3S,(5)S) WITH SIMPLE GAS MOLECULES

The electron pulse irradiation of 10 atm He containing one of CO, CO2, NO, NO2, or N2O at small amounts produced highly excited oxygen atoms O(2p(3)3S,5S), which subsequently disappeared by their reactions with parent molecules. The rate constants have been determined from the absorption decay curves at 777.3 nm 0(2p(3)3p,5P) <-- O(2p(3)3s,5S). The rate constants for the reactions of O(2p(3)3s,5S) with Xe, H2, N2, CH4, and C2H6 could be determined in the irradiation of mixtures of He, O2, and these gases with electron pulses. The upper limit of a quenching rate constant was estimated for Kr. The observed rate constants showed good correlation with the quenching rate constants of Kr(4p(5)5s,3p2) or Xe(5p(5)6s,3p2) by the same gas molecules.