DETECTION OF O(D-1) PRODUCED IN THE PHOTODISSOCIATION OF O-2 IN THE SCHUMANN-RUNGE CONTINUUM

O(D-1) produced from O-2 by photodissociation in the Schumann-Runge co ntinuum was studied. The metastable atom O(D-1) was detected by observ ing the 762 nm fluorescence from O-2(b (1) Sigma(g)(+)) generated by t he energy transfer process O(D-1) + O-2 --> O + O-2(b (1) Sigma(g)(+)) . A quantum yield of unity was found in the wavelength range 139-175 n m. O(D-1) was detected at wavelengths longer than the threshold at 175 nm with reduced quantum yields due to excitations of molecules in the high rotational states. The quantum yields vary from 1 in the range 1 30-139 nm, resulting from crossing of the state (3) Sigma(u)(-) with ( 3) Pi(u). The absorption spectra for both states were determined. The peaks for maxima and minima absorptions were compared with previous ex perimental and theoretical results.