Rate of recombination of nitrogen atoms

Decays of the concentration of N(4S) atoms in the Lewis–Rayleigh nitrogen afterglow were measured in a static mode, with a mass spectrometer that was calibrated against NO titration. The rate constant for recombination of N(4S) atoms with N2 molecules as the third body [N(4S)+N(4S)+N2→N2+N2] was determined as 7.2×10−33 cm6 molecule−2 sec−1. This value is compared with the values obtained by previous investigators. The rate constant for the wall recombination process is also given.