Electron-neutral scattering cross sections for CO2: a complete and consistent set and an assessment of dissociation

Abstract

This work proposes a complete and consistent set of cross sections for electron collisions with carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules to be published in the IST-Lisbon database with LXCat. The set is validated from the comparison between swarm parameters calculated using a two-term Boltzmann solver and the available experimental data. The importance of superelastic collisions with CO2(0 1 0) molecules at low values of the reduced electric field is discussed. Due to significant uncertainties, there are ongoing debates regarding the deconvolution of cross sections that describe generic energy losses at specific energy thresholds into cross sections that describe individual processes. An important example of these uncertainties is with the dissociation of CO2, for which the total electron impact dissociation cross section has not yet been unambiguously identified. The available dissociation cross sections are evaluated and discussed, and a strategy to obtain electron-impact dissociation rate coefficients is suggested.