Mechanism of efficient V–V in collisions of N2+(ν>0) with N2 Original Research Article

Fully quantum mechanical calculations of state-to-state cross sections in vibrationally deactivating collisions of N2+(ν>0) with N2 are reported. A study of the opacity function confirms that V–V is a longer range process than V–T, as previously inferred from experiments, but only marginally so. Variations in the transition probability are found to be of greater importance in determining the state-to-state cross sections. Multi-quantum V–V, while weaker than single-quantum V–V, is competitive with single-quantum V–T processes.