Resonant Vibrational Excitation ofN2by Low-Energy Electrons: AnAb Initio R-Matrix Calculation

The resonant vibrational excitation of ${\mathrm{N}}_2$ by low-energy electrons is used to illustrate the newly developed $R$-matrix theory of vibrational excitation and dissociative attachment of Schneider, Le Dourneuf, and Burke. The ab initio calculations are performed which clearly illustrate the role of the internal states in describing these excitation processes and support the authors' contention that the essential physics is completely contained within a Born-Oppenheimer treatment of the total molecular Hamiltonian.