Kinetic characteristics of production and loss of nitrogen atoms in $\mathrm{N}_2$ plasma

The method of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is used to measure the rates of production and concentration of nitrogen atoms, the rate constants of their heterogeneous loss, and some electrophysical characteristics of plasma at gas pressures of $60$–$533$ Pa and discharge currents of $10$–$80$ mA in the positive column of a d.c. discharge in $\mathrm{N}_2$. Analysis of the dissociation processes revealed that, in addition to the decay of electron states excited from $\mathrm{N}_2(X^1\Sigma_g)$ by electron impact, reactions involving excited nitrogen molecules may play an important role in the formation of $\mathrm{N}$ atoms.