COLLISIONAL EXCITATION OF METASTABLE O(1D) ATOMS

The excitation of ground state O(3P) atoms into the metastable O(1D) s tate by collision with O(3P) atoms occurs predominantly via the lowest (3)PI(g) states of O2. Experimental data on the decay products of the (3)PI(g) Rydberg state are used in a scattering calculation to predic t the cross sections and rate coefficients for the excitation and quen ching of O(1D) atoms in collision with O(3P) atoms. At 1000 K, the que nching rate coefficient is 6.9 x 10(-12) cm3 s-1. The excitation cross section reaches a maximum of 7.2 x 10(-18) cm2 at a relative energy o f 3.8 eV.