VIBRATION-VIBRATION ENERGY TRANSFER BETWEEN DIATOMIC MOLECULES

A classical method is presented to calculate resonant and near-resonant vibrational energy exchange between colliding diatomic molecules. The method entails a rigorous solution of the equations of motion of the four particles interacting in two dimensions. The interaction potential is described by six independent, atom-atom, Morse-type potential functions. Computer solutions provide the probability of the simultaneous energy-transfer process. Temperature-dependent transition probabilities, relaxation times, and exchange cross sections are calculated. The method is demonstrated on two reactions: N2(v=1) + CO(v=0)→N2(v=0)+CO(v=1) and N 2(v=2)+N2(v=0)→2N2(v=l). Results show good agreement with experimental data and other theoretical calculations.