Dynamics of quasiresonant vibration-rotation transfer in atom-diatom scattering

Journal Article · Mon May 09 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.60.1943· OSTI ID:5188613

Magill, P D; Stewart, B; Smith, N; Pritchard, D E

Quasiresonant vibration-rotation transfer in the collision of an atom with a diatomic molecule is studied with use of classical trajectories. At high molecular rotation rates and low collision velocities the atom-diatom interaction consists of a sequence of small collisions (''collisionettes''). This leads to a nearly perfect negative correlation between the changes in the rotational and vibrational actions and very large vibrationally inelastic cross sections. This quasiresonant process shows evidence of frequency locking between the vibrator and the rotational ''oscillator.''

• Research Organization: Departments of Physics and Chemistry and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
• OSTI ID: 5188613
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States), Vol. 60:19
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOM-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
ENERGY TRANSFER
CLASSICAL MECHANICS
ROTATIONAL STATES
TRAJECTORIES
VIBRATIONAL STATES
ATOM COLLISIONS
COLLISIONS
ENERGY LEVELS
EXCITED STATES
MECHANICS
MOLECULE COLLISIONS
640304* - Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics- Collision Phenomena