Predissociation and Quenching Dynamics of Electronically Excited Hydroxyl Radicals

Abstract

A series of studies has been conducted to examine the sources and sinks of electronically excited hydroxyl radicals via photon-assisted, unimolecular, and collision-induced processes. Significant progress has been made on three different fronts: (1) simulation of ultraviolet emission data from the Space Shuttle's thruster plume as originating from solar-induced and collision-induced electronic excitation of hydroxyl radicals; (2) detection of hydroxyl radicals in various vibrational levels of the ground electronic state through photoionization via high-lying Rydberg states; and (3) examination of the photodissociation dynamics of highly vibrationally excited hydroxyl radicals at specific ultraviolet wavelengths (243 and 226 nanometers). (2 figures, 13 refs.)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 31, 2004
Accession Number
ADA423904

Entities

People

  • Marsha I. Lester

Organizations

  • University of Pennsylvania

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Band Structures
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Chemistry
  • Detection
  • Dissociation
  • Dynamics
  • Emission
  • Energy Bands
  • Excitation
  • Exhaust Plumes
  • Hydroxyl Radical
  • Kinetic Energy
  • Photodissociation
  • Quenching
  • Simulations
  • Spectra
  • Thrusters

Fields of Study

  • Chemistry
  • Physics

Readers

  • Molecular Photonics/Laser Physics

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster