CARS study of the vibrational kinetics of nitrogen molecules in the burning and afterglow stages of a pulsed discharge

The vibrational kinetics of the nitrogen molecule in the ground state X(1)Sigma(g)(+) in the burning and afterglow stages of a pulsed discharge are investigated by coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS). The total cross section for vibrational excitation of the nitrogen molecule by electron impact to the first eight vibrational levels is determined. The rate constant for the associative ionization reaction involving nitrogen atoms in the metastable states P-2 and D-2 is estimated. It is found that the best agreement between the calculated and measured populations of the nitrogen molecules in the ground state X(1)Sigma(g)(+) in the afterglow stage of a pulsed discharge is obtained when the rate constant for VV exchange K-01(10) has the value predicted by the quantum-classical Billing-Fisher model. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7842(97)00705-8].