Electron kinetics of collision dominated r.f. bulk plasma in CO: The role of second-kind collisions

Electron energy distribution functions (EEDF) and related properties in the bulk region of the rf CO plasma at the reduced rf field frequency /p₀=×10⁷ sec^–1 torr^–1 have been calculated by solving the time-dependent spatially homogeneous Boltzmann equation in the presence of second-kind collisions and have been interpreted on a microphysical basis. The results show that second-kind collisions (vibrational and electronic) strongly affect the temporal evolution of EEDF, of the mean energy, and of the mean collision frequencies for vibrational and electronic excitation processes, as well as for ionization. In particular, second-kind collisions in the CO rf bulk plasma strongly decrease the modulation of the mean ionization frequency during its periodical alteration in the rf field. Furthermore, the effect of second-kind collisions on an approximate determination of the time-averaged EEDF in the rf bulk plasma using the so-called effective-field appriximation has been estimated.     

High temperature Mars atmosphere. Part I: transport cross sections

In the perspective of higher approximations of the Chapman-Enskog theory for transport property calculations, existing transport cross sections databases for interactions involving Earth atmosphere species have been updated and extended to Mars atmosphere components, proposing a phenomenological approach for the derivation of the relevant elastic collision integrals in neutral-neutral and neutral-ion interactions. Inelastic collision integrals terms, due to resonant charge exchange channels, have been considered and the asymptotic approach extended to the estimation of charge transfer cross section of multiple resonant processes. Electronic supplementary material  Supplementary Online Material     

Thermodynamics, Transport and Kinetics of Equilibrium and Non-Equilibrium Plasmas: A State-to-State Approach

Thermal non-equilibrium plasmas have been deeply investigated theoretically by means of the state-to-state approach, offering the unique opportunity of a detailed information about internal distributions affecting thermodynamics, transport coefficients and kinetics, properly accounting for the presence of excited states. The efforts made in the construction of knowledge on the dynamics of elementary processes occurring in the plasma with resolution on internal degrees of freedom, required by the method, are discussed. Boltzmann equation is solved for electrons self-consistently coupled to the chemical species collisional dynamics, reproducing very interesting features of strongly non-equilibrium internal distributions, characterizing plasmas.     

Transport properties of high temperature air components: A review

The methods for the calculation of the transport properties of high temperature gases are reviewed from the points of view of both kinetic theory and transport cross sections. Particular emphasis is given to the poor convergence of the Chapman-Enskog method for calculating the thermal conductivity of free electrons and of the possible sources of errors when applying well known simplified formulae for calculating the translational thermal conductivity of heavy components and the viscosity of partially ionized gases. The transport cross sections (collision integrals) of high temperature air components are then discussed by comparing old and new calculations particularly emphasizing atom-atom, atom-molecule and atom-ion interactions. Special consideration is dedicated to the knowledge of transport cross sections of electronically excited states. The role of inelastic processes in affecting the transport cross sections is also briefly discussed. Finally the possibility to extend the results to non equilibrium situations is analysed.     

Atom—molecule sudden theory of scattering: AB Initio corrections and range of validity of the collision model

The problem of describing atom—molecule vibro-rotational processes, within a sudden picture of scattering, is analyzed in a completely ab initio fashion. The resulting generalized infinite order sudden (GIOS) theory characteristically: (1) emphasizes the role of off-shell sudden T-matrices; (2) leads, from first principles, to corrective terms describing the influence of target motion. It is pointed out that, by means of such corrective terms, it is possible to define β(ⁿ) coefficients, related to the (Δτr_A/Δτr_BC)ⁿ power of (atomic/molecular) characteristic times for the process considered. A numerical analysis of such coefficients then leads to quantitative information on the validity of the sudden picture of energy transfer, for the process investigated. The theory is tested numerically by applying it to a collinear model of vibrational excitation.