Electron-impact resonant vibrational excitation and dissociation processes involving vibrationally excited N2 molecules

Abstract

Resonant vibrational excitation cross sections and the corresponding rate coefficients for electron-N$_2$ collisions occurring through the N$_2^-(\textrm{X}\ ^2\Pi_g)$ resonant state are reviewed. New calculations are performed using accurate potential energies curves for the N$_2$ electronic ground state, taken from literature, and for the N$_2^-$ resonant state, obtained from $R$-matrix calculations. The calculations are extended also to the resonant excitation processes involving the N$_2$ ground state vibrational continuum, leading to dissociation. Electron impact dissociation is found to be significant from higher vibrational levels. Accurate analytical fits for the complete set of the rate coefficients are provided. The behavior of the dissociative cross sections is investigated for rotationally excited N$_2$ molecules, with $J=50,100$ and 150 and for different vibrational levels.