Abstract
Vibrational level population distributions of electrical-discharge-excited nitrogen were measured up to nu =7 by means of a Penning ionisation reaction involving He(23S) metastables. Vibrational level populations of N2(X, nu ) were obtained from the N2+(B, nu 1) level concentrations and the inverted matrix of the Franck-Condon factors. A vibrational temperature range of 2000-8000K was covered with all measured vibrational distributions exhibiting non-Boltzmann, near-Treanor quasi-steady-state behaviour.