Title: Excitation-Deexcitation of N<sub>2</sub><sup>+</sup> (B<sup>2</sup>Σ<sub>u</sub><sup>+</sup>, v = 0) Rotational states in a Diffuse Plasma
Abstract: While sharply different rotational temperature for the lower and higher rotational states of H 2 have been observed in astrophysical situations, studies on heavier molecules are less encountered. We report here results of plasma spectroscopic studies on the nitrogen system where the FNS bands (0,0) and (0,1) show much distinctive ‘two-temperature’ phenomena, the departure from the high rotational temperature part (840 ± 50°K and 920 ± 30°K respectively) being perceptible at N' (N' + 1) ≅ 160. the experimental system is an electron beam sustained magnetoplasma at 5 × 10 −3 torr, with kT e ≅ 1.5 eV and n e ≅ 4 × 10 10 cm −3 obtained from in situ measurements of plasma parameters. Relative excitation-deexcitation rates of the N 2 + B 2 Σ u + rotational states and also in relation to those of H 2 are discussed.