Rate coefficients for electron impact excitation of CO

- Rate coefficients for electron impact excitation of CO have been calculated.
- All relevant non-elastic processes have been included in calculations.
- Equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions have been considered.
- Electron energy distribution functions were determined by a Monte Carlo simulation.
- Rate coefficients have also been determined in the presence of magnetic field.

Rate coefficients for electron impact excitation of the CO molecule have been calculated both for equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions in the presence of electric and magnetic fields. The rate coefficients have been determined for all relevant non-elastic processes: rotational excitation, vibrational excitation, electronic excitation into singlet and triplet states and particularly for ionization. In the case of non-equilibrium conditions, we had to determine electron energy distribution functions needed for rate coefficients calculations. The distribution functions were obtained by employing a Monte Carlo simulation developed in our laboratory. The simulations were performed for moderate values of electric field over gas number density ratios, E/N, from 0 to 1000 Td. Also, the rate coefficients have been determined in presence of magnetic field for typical values of magnetic field over gas number density ratios, B/N, from 500 to 3000 Hx. The results of equilibrium rate coefficients along with non-equilibrium ones have been shown.