Reaction of nitric oxide(A2.SIGMA.) with molecular oxygen

The interaction of NO(A/sup 2/..sigma..,upsilon' = 0) with O/sub 2/ is shown to yield oxygen atoms. This reaction was studied in 100 Torr of N/sub 2/ by pumping the upsilon'' = 0, Q/sub 1/3 or Q/sub 1/4 absorption line of NO at 226.33 nm with a pulsed laser and detecting O(/sup 3/P) via resonance fluorescence. Stern-Volmer analysis of the relative O(/sup 3/P) yield as a function of O/sub 2/ concentration produces a value of (1.97 +/- 0.50) x 10/sup -10/ cm/sup 3/ molecule /sup -1/s/sup -1/ for k/sub 1/, the rate coefficient for quenching of NO(A) by O/sub 2/. Additionally, direct measurement of this interaction via monitoring the NO(A) fluorescence lifetime as a function of O/sub 2/ yielded a value of (1.59 +/- 0.08) x 10/sup -10/ cm/sup 3/ molecule/sup -1/ s/sup -1/ for k/sub 1/. On the basis of the similarity between the two above values of k/sub 1/, they suggest that oxygen atoms are a direct product of the NO(A/sup 2/..sigma..) + O/sub 2/ interaction.