The rotational excitation of molecular nitrogen by electron impact

The effect of the 2 Pi g resonance of N 2 - upon the rotational excitation of molecular nitrogen by electron impact is considered. The calculations follow on from the recent ab initio investigations of Buckley and Burke (1977). In order to produce results in a form comparable with experiment, it is necessary (a) to consider excitations from all the rotational levels of N 2 between 0 and approximately 20, and (b) to make allowance for the energy resolution possible with present-day detectors. It is predicted that the very large enhancement to the Delta j=+or-2 and +or-4 cross sections around 2.4 eV will give rise to observable structure in energy-loss measurements if resolutions of FWHM