Vacuum ultraviolet spectrum of dinitrogen pentoxide

Absolute photoabsorption cross-sections at 195 + 3 K are reported for dinitrogen pentoxide, N₂O₅, between 150 and 240 nm. The spectrum consists of a broad intense band with a maximum at 160 nm. The lack of sharp features indicates that excitation of N₂O₅ results in dissociation over the whole of the spectral range studied. At wavelengths above 200 nm, our results are up to 30% smaller than the current NASA recommendation, but are in generally good agreement with a more recent measurement. Below 200 nm, there are no reported data with which to compare our work. © 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.