The chemi-ionization processes in thermal and sub-thermal collisions of excited alkali atoms with atoms in ground and excited states were considered, with a particular accent to the applications for geocosmical plasma research. An improved version of semi-classical method for the rate coefficients calculation is presented. The method is applied to the cases of excited alkali atoms with the principal quantum numbers 5 ≤ n ≤ 25. The results of calculation of the considered chemi-ionization processes rate coefficients are compared to the existing experimental data. Their good agreement recommends to use the rate coefficients obtained for analysis of geocosmical plasma processes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)547-562
Number of pages16
JournalNew Astronomy Reviews
Volume51
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Sep 2007

    Research areas

  • Alkali atom collisions, Geo-cosmical plasmas, Io atmosphere, Ionization processes

    Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

ID: 36433036