Rate constant and possible pressure dependence of the reaction OH + HO2

The technique of laser-induced fluorescence is used to measure steady-state OH concentrations in the photolysis of water vapor at 184.9 nm and 298 K, with O2 added in trace amounts. He or Ar is present at total pressures in the range 75-730 torr. The results are used in deriving the rate-constant ratio of k1 to k5 to the 1/2 power, where k1 and k5 are the rate constants for the reactions OH + HO2 = H2O + O2 and HO2 + HO2 = O2, respectively. When available values of k5 are used, the results give k1 = (1.2 + or - 0.4) x 10 to the -10 cu cm/s at 1-atm pressure, with evidence of a decline of k1 at lower pressures. No water-vapor effect on k1 is observed.