Vibrational relaxation of CO2 (m, n(l), p) in a CO2-N-2 mixture. Part 1: Survey of available data

The knowledge of the vibrational relaxation reaction rates of diatomic and triatomic molecules is required for the modelling of numerous gaseous mixtu res such as the Earth atmosphere (involving radiation transfer phenomena), exhaust plumes, afterbody wakes, Mars atmosphere, shock waves and chemical lasers. It enables a better understanding of the chemical reaction product rates and provides the populations of the radiating levels. In this study, we consider the few lowest vibrational levels of a CO2-N-2 mixture and the V-T and V-V energy transfer processes between these levels. The reaction ra tes given by experimental and theoretical studies and by different surveys of data supplied by a bibliographic search are presented. Then, comparisons of the data available for the most important processes are shown. The usua l assumptions concerning the vibrational relaxation of CO2(m, n(l), p) are recalled and briefly discussed. (C) Elsevier, Paris.