Vibrational energy transfer and dissociation in O₂-N₂ collisions at hyperthermal temperatures

Simulation of vibrational energy transfer and dissociation in O₂-N₂ collisions is conducted using the quasi-classical trajectory method on an ab initio potential energy surface. Vibrationally resolved rate coefficients are obtained in a high-temperature region between 8000 and 20 000 K by means of the cost-efficient classical trajectory propagation method. A system of master equations is constructed using the new dataset in order to simulate thermal and chemical nonequilibrium observed in shock flows. The O₂ relaxation time derived from a solution of the master equations is in good agreement with the Millikan and White correlation at lower temperatures with an increasing discrepancy toward the translational temperature of 20 000 K. At the same time, the N₂ master equation relaxation time is similar to that derived under the assumption of a two-state system. The effect of vibrational-vibrational energy transfer appears to be crucial for N₂ relaxation and dissociation. Thermal equilibrium and quasi-steady state dissociation rate coefficients in O₂-N₂ heat bath are reported.