Modeling of vibrational excitation dynamics in a nanosecond CO₂ discharge

Abstract

The temporal dynamics of excitation of the asymmetric vibrational mode of CO2 molecules in a nanosecond discharge is simulated. The values of the electric field and of the number density of electrons versus time, calculated for known experimental dependence of the discharge current on time, are used for evaluation of the number densities of the first and second vibrational levels of the asymmetric mode. It is shown that the dynamics of the densities of these levels, calculated using generally accepted values of the vibrational excitation rate constants, is in reasonable agreement with experimental data.