New electron energy transfer and cooling rates by excitation of O2

A. V. Pavlov (1)

1 Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism

In this work I present the results of a study of the electron cooling rate, the production rates of vibrationally excited O₂, and the production frequency of the O₂ vibrational quanta arising from the collisions of electrons with O₂ molecules as functions of the electron temperature. The electron energy transfer and cooling rates by vibrational excitation of O₂ have been calculated and fitted to analytical expressions by use of the revised vibrationally excited O₂ cross sections. These new analytical expressions are available to the researcher for quick reference and accurate computer modeling with a minimum of calculations. It is also shown that the currently accepted rate of electron energy loss associated with rotational transitions in O₂ must be decreased by a factor of 13.

Domaines: Océan, Atmosphère; Sciences de la Terre

A. V. Pavlov. New electron energy transfer and cooling rates by excitation of O2. Annales Geophysicae, 1998, 16 (8), pp.1007-1013. ⟨hal-00316434⟩