A Photochemical Study of the Kinetics of the Reactions of NH2 with Phosphine, Ethylene, and Acetylene Using Flash Photolysis-Laser Induced Fluorescence.
Abstract
Planetary modelers attempted to explain the abundance of ammonia in the Jovian atmosphere despite its ready photolysis. Modelers argued that thermal processes are inadequate to totally compensate for photochemical and chemical ammonia loss and considered ammonia coupling reactions with other atmospheric constituents to provide ammonia reservoirs. The rate constants for the potentially important reactions of NH2 radicals with phosphine, acetylene and ethylene were measured to provide modelers data which were unavailable or over which there was controversy. Additionally, the coupling reaction with phosphine was studied because phosphine was thought to generate PH2, a precursor of P4 which was a possible source of coloration of the Great Red Spot. The flash photolysis method for the production of NH2 radicals and the laser-induced fluorescence method for radical detection were chosen because of the high sensitivity this technique affords especially under the temperature and pressure range at which the study was conducted. Care was taken to ensure that secondary reactions and reaction with photochemical products did not interfere with the results. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA119100
Entities
People
- Salvatore Ronald Bosco
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology