The mechanism for diamagnetic products formation under the radiolysis of alkali nitrates

Based on optical measurements, the kinetics of peroxynitrite accumulation in alkali nitrate crystals γ-irradiated at 310 K has been investigated. The initial radiation chemical yields were calculated to be 0.60±0.05, 0.14±0.03, 0.35±0.03, 0.65±0.04 (100 eV)−1 for NaNO3, KNO3, RbNO3, and CsNO3, respectively. The mechanism for the radiolysis of crystalline alkali nitrates is interpreted in terms of formation of the peroxynitrite ions and the nitrite ions from high-energy singlet and triplet excited states of the nitrate ions, respectively. These states can be generating under the radiationless transitions of electrons from the cation conductivity band into the anion conductivity band accompanied by the Auger excitation of the nitrate ions.