Determination of O_2 (a¹Δg) and O_2 (b¹Σ^+g) yields in the reaction O + ClO → Cl + O_2 : Implications for photochemistry in the atmosphere of Venus

Creators: Leu, Ming-Taun; Yung, Yuk L.

Abstract

A discharge flow apparatus with chemiluminescence detector has been used to study the reaction O + ClO → Cl + O2^*, where O_2^* = O_2(a^¹Δ_g) or O_2(b^¹Σ^+g). The measured quantum yields for producing O-2(a6¹Δ-g) and O-2(b6¹Σ^+_g) in the above reaction are less than 2.5 × 10^(−2) and equal to (4.4 ± 1.1) × 10^(−4), respectively. The observed O_2(a^¹Δ_g) airglow of Venus cannot be explained in the context of standard photochemistry using our experimental results and those reported in recent literature. The possibility of an alternative source of O atoms derived from SO_2 photolysis in the mesosphere of Venus is suggested.

Additional Information

© 1987 by the American Geophysical Union. Received April 21, 1987; revised June 11, 1987; accepted July 6, 1987. Paper number 7L6572. We thank W. A. Traub, W. B. DeMore, M. Allen, J. P. Pinto, L. W. Esposito, D. V. Michelangeli, and L. D. Travis for helpful discussions. This research was performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with NASA. YLY was supported as a guest investigator on the Pioneer-Venus Project under contract NAG 2267 to the California Institute of Technology.

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