Annales Geophysicae (May 2008)
The study of intermolecular energy transfers in electronic energy quenching for molecular collisions N<sub>2</sub>-N<sub>2</sub>, N<sub>2</sub>-O<sub>2</sub>, O<sub>2</sub>-O<sub>2</sub>
Abstract
Contributions of intermolecular electron energy transfers in the electronic quenching are calculated for molecular collisions N2(A3Σu+, W3Δu)+N2(X1Σg+, v=0), N2(A3Σu+)+N2(X1Σg+, v≥0), N2(A3Σu+)+O2(X3Σg−, v=0–2), O2(a1Δg, b1Σg+)+O2(X3Σg−, v=0–2). The calculation has allowed one to estimate the product branching ratios. It is shown that there is a dependence of the calculated rate coefficients on the vibrational excitation of N2(X1Σg+) and O2(X3Σg−) molecules. In many cases, the calculated rate coefficients have a good agreement with available experimental data.