Atomic carbon emission from photodissociation of CO2

Atomic carbon fluorescence, C I 1561, 1657, and 1931 Å, has been observed from photodissociation of CO2, and the production cross sections have been measured. A line emission source provided the primary photons at wavelengths from threshold to 420 Å. The present results suggest that the excited carbon atoms are produced by total dissociation of CO2 into three atoms. The cross sections for producing the O I 1304‐Å fluorescence through photodissociation of CO2 are found to be less than 10−2 Mb in the wavelength region from 420 to 835 Å. The present data have implications with respect to photochemical processes in the atmospheres of Mars and Venus.