The excitation of O(1S) in the reaction between N2(A 3Σ+u) and O(3P)

The rate constant for the excitation of O(1S) in the reaction between N2(A,v′ = 0) and O(3P) has been measured in a discharge-flow reactor at room temperature to be (2.1±0.4)×10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1. Combining this measurement with the previously determined rate constant for total quenching of N2(A) by O shows that the fraction of all quenching events which lead to O(1S) excitation is 0.75±0.13. These results are at variance with rate constants estimated from some auroral models and indicate that some revision of auroral models is in order.