Quenching of infrared chemiluminescence. Part 5.—Rates of energy transfer from CO (4 ⩽v⩽ 18) to polyatomic molecules

Abstract

A study has been made of the quenching of the infrared chemiluminescence from vibrationally excited CO, formed in the reactions, O(³P)+ CS → CO + S and O(³P)+ CSe → CO + Se, by Q = SO₂, C₂N₂, CH₄, CF₄ and SF₆. Collisional probabilities, P_v,v–1, for CO(v)+ Q → CO(v–1)+ Q have been determined for 4 ⩽v⩽ 18. The mechanisms of these relaxation processes are discussed in the light of the variation of P_v,v–1/v, since, in several cases, this provides a strong indication of the role played by near-resonant vibrational–vibrational energy exchange.