The angular and velocity distributions of desorbing products N-2 and CO2 were studied in an explosive NO(a) + CO(a) reaction on Pt(1 0 0) by means of angle-resolved thermal desorption combined with cross-correlation time-of-flight techniques. The desorption peak of CO2 and N-2 appeared in a narrow temperature range at 360-400 K. Desorption of both products sharply collimated along the surface normal. The velocity distribution of desorbing N-2 showed three components with the translational temperatures of about 3500, 2000, and 600-800 K, whereas that of CO2 yielded only a single component of 1200 K. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.