NEAR THRESHOLD CHANNEL SELECTIVE PHOTODISSOCIATION OF NO2

The dynamics of the photodissociation of NO2 into NO(X2ΠΩ″, ν″=0, J″)+O(3P0,1,2) is investigated near the thermodynamic threshold. Cooling the internal degrees of freedom by a supersonic beam expansion provides a nearly complete quantum state selection prior to the predissociation. Measurements of the wavelength dependent dissociation yield into specific product quantum states are reported. At certain wavelengths Λ″ doublet resolved rotational population distributions of the fragments are obtained. Up to an excess energy of Eexc=121 cm-1 about 42% of this energy is partitioned into the rotation of the NO molecules, and correspondingly 58% into the translational degree of freedom. The role of electronic and total parity is discussed. © 1990 Springer-Verlag.