Electronic-excitation transfer collisions in flames-III: Cross sections for quenching and doublet mixing of Rb(52P32, 12) doublet by N2, O2, H2 and H2O

Weighted average quenching cross sections for the Rb(5²P) doublet by N₂ and H₂O were determined in flames with temperatures ranging from 1500 to 2500 K by measuring the fluorescence efficiency. The values found are $\text{(σ}{}_{\mathrm{qu}}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>N</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= (19±2)}\text{A}\text{?}{}^2$ and over the entire temperature range. At a temperature of 1720 K, mixing cross sections were obtained for the same doublet with N₂, H₂, O₂ and H₂O molecules. The cross sections found are: $\text{σ}{}_{21}\text{(}{}^2\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>3</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{→}{}^2\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>N</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= (60±12)}\text{A}\text{?}{}^2$, $\text{σ}{}_{12}\text{(}{}^2\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{→}{}^2\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>3</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>N</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 99±20)}\text{A}\text{?}{}^2$; , $\text{(σ}{}_{21}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>H</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{> 30}\text{A}\text{?}{}_2$, $\text{(σ}{}_{12}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>H</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{> 50}\text{A}\text{?}{}^2\text{;}$, . The ratios σ₁₂/σ₂₁ were measured independently and were found to agree with the detailed- balance condition within 3 per cent. A critical comparison of the flame values with previous literature data on N₂-cross sections shows that both mixing and quenching cross sections are temperature dependent in the range from 300 to 2500 K.