Rotational Excitation by Slow Electrons. II

Abstract

Theoretical cross sections for the rotational excitation of homonuclear molecules by slow electrons are applied to calculation of the fractional energy loss per collision ($\lambda$) in ${\mathrm{H}}_2$. The theoretical losses are not more than $2.5\left(\frac{2m}{M}\right)$ and except at the lowest energies studied (∼0.1 ev) are smaller than observed.