NONEQUILIBRIUM COUPLED KINETICS IN STATIONARY N-2-O-2 DISCHARGES

A detailed study of the coupled electron and heavy-particle kinetics i n a low-pressure stationary N-2-O-2 discharge is carried out. The mode l is based on the self-consistent solutions to the Boltzmann equation coupled to the rate balance equations for the vibrationally excited mo lecules N-2(X (1) Sigma(g)(+), v) and O-2(X (3) Sigma(g)(-), V'), NO(X (2) Pi(r)) molecules and N(S-4) and O(P-3) atoms. It is shown that th e vibrational distribution of N-2(X, v) plays a central role in the wh ole problem, affecting considerably the predicted concentrations of NO molecules and N atoms, whereas the concentration of O atoms is practi cally independent of both vibrational distributions. In particular, it is shown that, in the case of a rate coefficient of about 10(-13) cm( 3) s(-1) for the reaction N-2(X, v) + O --> NO + N, the N-2(X, v) mole cules are strongly de-excited by vibrational-translational energy exch ange processes associated with N-2-N collisions. In contrast, in the c ase of a higher value for this rate coefficient, the N2P(X, v) molecul es are efficiently destroyed by this mechanism. The contributions of t he different processes to the total production of NO, N and O are eval uated and compared.