title: Temperature profiles in nitrous oxide supported acetylene flames at atmospheric pressure.
abstract: Temperature profiles have been established at three mixture strengths of the nitrous oxide-acetylene flame used in atomicabsorption spectroscopy. Measurement of the electronic excitation temperature of the red-feather zone by the sodium line-reversal and iron two-line methods yields average maximum temperatures of 3070 and 3025 +/- 50 degrees K respectively. This is significantly lower than the only previously reported value, 3228 degrees K. Other temperature measurements obtained by studying intensity distribution of NH rotational fine structure and CN vibrational structure yielded less precise results, but suggest a state of thermal equilibrium in the flame. The temperature gradient within the flame shows a steady decrease with height above the primary zone. A study of CN spectra and the zones of persistence of free atoms and of metal oxide species suggests a mechanism of free atom production within the cyanogen zone whereby the removal of oxidizing radicals by CN promotes dissociation of metal oxide species previously formed in the primary zone of the flame.
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Imperial College, London, S.W.7, U.K.
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Kirkbright
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sargent
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: West