LIF study of N sub(2)(A super(3) capital sigma super(+) sub(u), v = 0-10) vibrational kinetics under nitrogen streamer conditions

The evolution of individual v = 0-10 vibrational levels of N sub(2)(A super(3) capital sigma super(+) sub(u)) metastable species produced by filamentary streamer discharge was investigated by the laser-induced fluorescence technique. Triggered single streamer filament was periodically produced in pure nitrogen at a pressure of 200 torr and metastable species were monitored during the streamer channel decay in the centre of the discharge gap. A calibration procedure based on the rate of energy-pooling processes was used to determine absolute populations of the v = 0 and 1 levels from LIF data, and the model results were utilized to place on an absolute scale all the higher (v > 1 ) measured vibronic levels. Lastly, we show that the observed rate of the v = 2 level decay is not compatible with published rate constants for the v = 2 arrow right v = 0 vibrational relaxation.