Quasi-classical dynamics and vibrational kinetics of N+N-2(nu) system

Vibrational-translational (V-T) energy transfer and dissociation cross-sect ions of collisions of nitrogen atoms with rovibrationally excited nitrogen molecules are calculated by a quasi-classical dynamical approach. The resul ts, relative to the whole set of vibrational states and interpolated on rot ation, including quasi-bound levels, are used in a kinetic scheme for study ing the global rate of dissociation. The kinetic model, which solves a syst em of 68 vibrational levels submitted to the action of V-T and dissociation processes, reveals some distortions in the resulting vibrational distribut ion function for nu > 40. The calculated global dissociation rate is in goo d agreement with the experimental results in a wide temperature range. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.