Electronic energy exchange in high-temperature air

Abstract

Kinetic processes with the participation of electronic states of atoms and molecules in air behind the shock wave front were analyzed. All metastable levels of molecular and atomic oxygen and nitrogen and nitrogen oxide molecules situated below the dissociation energy were analyzed. In high-temperature air, atom and molecule electronic states are formed in dissociation and recombination, electronic energy exchange in collisions of particles, and chemical exchange reactions. The formation of excited electronic states in the recombination of atoms and isoenergy vibrational energy transfer from highly excited vibrational levels into electronic energy is the fastest process. The quenching of metastable particles occurs in collisions between particles, dissociation and recombination, and chemical exchange reactions. A database on electronic energy exchange rate constants in high-temperature air is presented.