Vibrational relaxation in collisions between¹²C¹⁶O and para-H₂

The authors present the results of further calculations of cross sections for the vibrational relaxation process CO(n=1)+para-H 2 to CO(n=0)+para-H 2 in which: (i) an error in the long-range form of the potential of Poulsen has been corrected; (ii) the influence of extending the size of the para-H 2 rotational bases set is more fully investigated; and (iii) the effect of varying the magnitude of the energy defect, Delta E, of the near-resonance process CO(n=1)+H 2 (j=2) to CO(n=0)+H 2 (J=6)+ Delta E is assessed. Conclusions are drawn regarding the accuracy currently attainable in calculations of the rovibrational relaxation cross sections.