Rate coefficients for electron impact excitation of CO

Abstract

Rate coefficients for electron impact excitation of the CO molecule have been calculated both for equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions in the presence of electric and magnetic fields. The rate coefficients have been determined for all relevant non-elastic processes: rotational excitation, vibrational excitation, electronic excitation into singlet and triplet states and particularly for ionization. In the case of non-equilibrium conditions, we had to determine electron energy distribution functions needed for rate coefficients calculations. The distribution functions were obtained by employing a Monte Carlo simulation developed in our laboratory. The simulations were performed for moderate values of electric field over gas number density ratios,E=N, from 0 to 1000 Td. Also, the rate coefficients have been determined in presence of magnetic field for typical values of magnetic field over gas number density ratios,B=N, from 500 to 3000 Hx. The results of equilibrium rate coefficients along with non-equilibrium ones have been shown. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.