TOTAL ELECTRON-SCATTERING AND ELECTRONIC STATE EXCITATIONS CROSS-SECTIONS FOR O-2, CO, AND CH4

Available electron collision cross section data concerning total and e lastic scattering, vibrational excitation, and ionization for O2, CO, and CH4 have been critically reviewed, and a set of cross sections for modeling of planetary atmospheric behavior is recommended. Utilizing these recommended cross sections, we derived total electronic state ex citation cross sections and upper limits for dissociation cross sectio ns, which in the case of CH4 should very closely equal the actual diss ociation cross section.