Surface-Catalyzed Excitations in the Oxygen System

Abstract

A luminosity is produced over Ni maintained at approximately 20°C in a stream of O atoms. Spectroscopic investigation shows the strongly forbidden b ¹Σ_g⁺ — X ³Σ_g^— atmospheric system and A ³Σ_u⁺ — X ³Σ_g^— Herzberg system of the O₂ molecule plus four strong heads of the (0, 0) band of the OH A ²Σ⁺ — X ²Π interaction. Certain spectral features in the region of the (0, 0) atmospheric band could not be resolved for positive identification but are suggested to be the vibrational‐rotational bands of OH. The Herzberg and atmospheric bands appear to be primary products of the surface catalysis while the OH molecule can be either a surface product or the result of chemical reactions of certain excited species present.