Vibrational Energy Transfer in Gases: Atom–Triatomic-Molecule and Diatomic–Diatomic-Molecule Collisions

The interconversion of molecular vibrational energy and translational energy is investigated by a Monte Carlo method and numerical integration of the equations of motion. Colinear collisions of a linear triatomic molecule (having Morse bond potentials) with an atom via a Lennard-Jones 6–12 potential were investigated, and histograms characterizing the probability of transfer of various amounts of energy were constructed. Colinear collisions of two diatomic molecules (Morse bond potentials) interacting via a 6–12 potential were studied, and information on vibration–vibration transfer was obtained. In both models, total energies were in the range 1–20 × 10−12 erg.