ITFITS model for vibration-translation energy partitioning in atom-polyatomic molecule collisions

Abstract

A model for vibration‐translation energy partitioning in the collinear collision of an atom and an axially symmetric polyatomic molecule is proposed. The model is based on an extension of the ideas of Mahan and Heidrich, Wilson, and Rapp. Comparison of energy transfers computed from classical trajectory calculations and the model proposed indicate good agreement when the mass of the free atom is small relative to the mass of the bound atom it strikes. The agreement is less satisfactory when that mass ratio becomes large.