Vibrational excitation of oxygen molecules in active medium of oxygen-iodine laser

The calculation of the population of the oxygen vibrational levels in the active medium of chemical oxygen-iodine laser is carried out. It is shown, that the high nonequilibrium population of oxygen vibrational levels takes place and can reach up to a few tens percents. Less than half of energy losses goes on heating of a gas mixture, other part acts on I dissociation, in electronic and vibrational degrees of freedom. The 2 electronically exited I2 (A'), I2 (A) states can serve intermediate during iodine dissociation. They are populated at collisions with the vibrationally exited singlet oxygen molecules.