Monte Carlo simulation of electron thermalization in gases. II. Subexcitation electrons in molecular hydrogen
The Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) of the thermalization of low-energy electrons (epsilon< or approx. =0.1 eV) due to the rotationally inelastic and elastic collisions in normal H/sub 2/ (J. Chem. Phys. 79, 3367 (1983), referred to as I) is extended to high-energy subexcitation electrons (epsilonapprox.1 eV) by taking into account the vibrationally inelastic collisions and using available experimental cross section data. The MCS is performed for the thermalization of subexcitation electrons with the initial Maxwell, delta function, or Platzman velocity distribution at the initial effective electron temperature 10/sup 3/< or =T/sub e/(0)< or =3 x 10/sup 4/ K in normal H/sub 2/ at the gas temperature 77< or =T< or =10/sup 3/ K. The electron velocity distribution deviates significantly from the local Maxwell distribution (MD) even for the initial Maxwell distribution owing to the vibrationally and rotationally inelastic collisions. Consequently, the degradation of the effective electron temperature T/sub e/ (reduced mean electron energy) is slower than that obtained with the MD assumption. The thermalization time tau/sub th/ when T/sub e//T = 1.1 is insensitive to the initial electron velocity distribution and effective electron temperature. At T> or approx. =300 K, tau/sub th/ is about 70% larger than that for the MD, where tau/sub th/ is dominated by the rotationally inelastic collisions. At the low gas temperature T = 77 K, tau/sub th/ is about 160% larger than that for the MD, where tau/sub th/ is dominated by the elastic collisions.
- Research Organization:
- National Aerospace Laboratory, Jindaiji-Machi, Chofu, Tokyo, Japan
- OSTI ID:
- 6876586
- Journal Information:
- J. Chem. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 80:11; ISSN JCPSA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Collision Phenomena
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
COLLISIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
EXCITED STATES
FERMIONS
HYDROGEN
LEPTONS
MOLECULE COLLISIONS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NONMETALS
SIMULATION
SLOWING-DOWN
THERMALIZATION
VIBRATIONAL STATES