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A laboratory study on the formation of nitrous oxide by the reaction N2(A3Σu+) + O2 → N2O + O

Nature volume 287, pages 523–524 (1980)Cite this article

Abstract

Metastable N2(A3Σu+) molecules are produced copiously in auroral substorms by the impact of low-energy secondary electrons on N2 and by the absorption of cosmic rays and solar X-rays at E-region altitudes and below. The major loss process for N2(A3Σu+) molecules below 100 km is collisional deactivation by O2. We present here the results of a detailed study of the reaction N2(A3Σu+); v′ = 0, 1, 2) + O2 → N2O + O, and we show that N2O is formed with an effective yield of 0.6 with a probable absolute error of ±30%.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15260

    Edward C. Zipf

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  1. Edward C. Zipf
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Zipf, E. A laboratory study on the formation of nitrous oxide by the reaction N2(A3Σu+) + O2 → N2O + O. Nature 287, 523–524 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/287523a0

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