Reactive quenching of electronically excited NO2∗ and NO3∗ by H2O as potential sources of atmospheric HOx radicals

Pulsed laser excitation of NO2 (532–647 nm) or NO3 (623–662 nm) in the presence of H2O was used to initiate the gas-phase reaction NO2∗+H2O → products (Reaction R5) and NO3∗+H2O → products (Reaction R12). No evidence for OH production in Reactions (R5) or (R12) was observed and upper limits for OH production of k5b/k5