GENERATION OF VIBRATIONALLY EXCITED H-2-MOLECULES IN A HYDROGEN STREAM FLOWING THROUGH A CESIUM-HYDROGEN DISCHARGE

A theoretical analysis is made of the electronic-vibrational kinetics in a stream of molecular hydrogen flowing through a cesium-hydrogen di scharge, An analysis is made of the vibrational pumping of hydrogen mo lecules in the discharge and vibrational relaxation is studied in the cold flow zone beyond the discharge. It is shown that a very substanti al increase in the concentration of vibrationally excited H-2 molecule s may be achieved in the old zone. (C) 1997 American Institute of Phys ics. [S1063-7850(97)00601-0].