Classical dynamics of vibrational-translational energy transfer in linear collisions of an atom and a diatomic molecule/anharmonic oscillator Original Research Article

An analytical solution to the problem of the linear collision of a classical anharmonic oscillator with a structureless particle is presented in a general case of mass ratio, vibrational and translational energies. The adiabatic as well as the pulse mechanisms of the collisions are considered. The dependences of the energy transfer on the initial vibrational excitation are obtained by means of the perturbation theory including the trajectory distortions of both vibrational and translational motion. The analytical results are compared with the corresponding results of numerical calculations over a wide range of parameters.