Destruction of ground state XeCl molecules by HCl and rare gas collisions

Rate constants for quenching of several XeCl (X) vibrational levels by the rare gases and HCl have been measured. The temporally resolved decay of the population densities of the XeCl (X, v″=0–2) levels was monitored using a frequency-doubled tunable dye laser. Within experimental error, the measured rate constants did not vary with vibrational number, and the temperature dependence of the rates over the range 300⩽T⩽375 °K was found to be consistent with the previously measured XeCl (X) dissociation energy (∼250 cm−1). The rate constants for the destruction of XeCl (X, v″=0) state molecules by HCl, Xe, Ar and Ne at 300 °K were determined to be (2.20.5) ×10−11, (5.60.8) ×10−12, (0.60.06) ×10−13, and (1.00.15) ×10−13 cm3 sec−1, respectively.