Rotationsanregung in molekularen Stößen

In a crossed beam experiment K-atoms are velocity analysed before and after collisions with thermally distributed CO₂ molecules. The dependence of the scattering on CMS angle for 6 °???28 °, and on translational-rotational energy transfer from 10 to 50% of the initial relative collision energyE is measured forE=16.8 and 20.2 × 10^?14 erg. The energy transfer corresponds to high rotational excitation of CO₂, 6?Δj?22, if the average levelj=20 before the collision is taken to be the representative initial state. Independent of the amount of energy transfer the inelastic scattering increases towards small angles. Average partial cross sections, reduced to transitions between single levels, are estimated to be considerable fractions of the gas kinetic cross section at ?=20 °. The analysis strongly suggests the formation of a long-lived collision complex in the encounter.