Vibrational deactivation studies of OH X 2Π (ν=1-5) by N2 and O2

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