Recombination population of highly excited CO2 states in a shock-heated jet

The spectral distribution of nonequilibrium emission from electron bands of partially dissociated CO2 in a supersonic jet was studied. A detailed mode l of kinetic and energy-exchange processes in a vibrationally nonequilibriu m recombining CO2 flow is elaborated. Within this model, the basic kinetic equation for the distribution of CO2 excited state populations was solved i n a ladder approximation. It is shown that inverse population for the B-3(2 ) --> X(1)Sigma transition (lambda = 400 nm) is a possibility. The effect o f mixture and flow parameters on the population inversion for electron vibr ational transitions in CO2 was analyzed. (C) 2001 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodic a".