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.

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