Electron-impact excitation of molecular ions

Journal Article · Sat Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Phys. Rev. A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.40.633· OSTI ID:5874830

Neufeld, D A; Dalgarno, A

A simple expression is derived that relates the rate coefficient for dipole-allowed electron-impact excitation of a molecular ion in the Coulomb-Born approximation to the Einstein /ital A/ coefficient for the corresponding radiative decay. Results are given for several molecular ions of astrophysical interest. A general analytic expression is obtained for the equilibrium rotational level populations in the ground vibrational state of any molecular ion excited by collisions with electrons. The expression depends only upon the electron temperature, the electron density, and the rotational constant of the molecular ion. A similar expression is obtained for neutral polar molecules.

• Research Organization: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 (US)
• OSTI ID: 5874830
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. A; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. A; (United States) Vol. 40:2; ISSN PLRAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640304* -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Collision Phenomena
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
BORN APPROXIMATION
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLISIONS
COULOMB FIELD
EINSTEIN COEFFICIENTS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON-ION COLLISIONS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
ION COLLISIONS
IONS
MOLECULAR IONS
RADIATIVE DECAY