Vibrational energy transfer in OH A(2)Sigma(+) between 195 and 295 K

Vibrational energy transfer (VET) v'=1 --> 0 and electronic quenching of v' =1 and 0 in the A (2)Sigma(+) electronically excited state of the OH radica l has been studied over the temperature range 195 to 295 K. The colliders i nvestigated were N-2, O-2, and CO2. Laser-induced fluorescence experiments were conducted in a flow cell with photolytic production of OH; both fluore scence intensity and time decay measurements were made. The VET cross secti ons are found to increase with decreasing temperature, suggestive of attrac tive force interactions in the VET process. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(00)00612-7].