Production of CO /a3 Pi/ in a mercury discharge
The vibrational intensity distribution of CO (a3 Pi - X1 Sigma+) Cameron bands was measured. Data combined from the present and from previous experiments suggest that a3 Pi vibrational temperatures are more characteristic of the parent molecule than are the details of the excitation mechanism. The temperatures were obtained using Franck-Condon factors to deconvolute the bands at 194, 199, and 206 nm. The values were 4800 K for CO2 and 1900 K for CO.