THERMAL-EXPLOSION IN A VIBRATIONALLY NONEQUILIBRIUM GAS

The problem on thermal explosion in a nonequilibrium gas sustained in a nonequilibrium state by pumping energy into vibrational degrees of f reedom of the gas molecules and removing heat through the gas interfac e with the ambient medium, is solved under auxiliary constraints impos ed either on the state of the vibrational manifold or on the pumping r ate. The results of numerical solution of the equation of energy conse rvation are compared with the solution of a similar problem, obtained by the Frank-Kamenetskii algorithm. The values of the parameters, at w hich the system becomes thermally unstable, are determined. Prediction s of the thermal explosion theory are correlated with calculations by the method of evolution of small hydrodynamic perturbations.