Abstract
A discharge flow apparatus with chemiluminescence detector has been used to study the reaction O + ClO → Cl + O2*, where O2* = O2(a¹Δg) or O2(b¹Σ+g). The measured quantum yields for producing O2(a¹Δg) and O2(b¹Σ+g) in the above reaction are less than 2.5 × 10−2 and equal to (4.4 ± 1.1) × 10−4, respectively. The observed O2(a¹Δg) airglow of Venus cannot be explained in the context of standard photochemistry using our experimental results and those reported in recent literature. The possibility of an alternative source of O atoms derived from SO2 photolysis in the mesosphere of Venus is suggested.