Theoretical Study of Electron Impact Ionization Cross Sections of Molecular Co2 and Co2 Ice in Martian Dust

Abstract

The electron impact ionization on the Martian dust is the physical mechanism occurring on Mars1. In this paper, we have calculated the electron impact ionization cross-sections of CO2 and CO2 Ice molecules in the energy range of 10–2000 eV. Inelastic collisions caused by (e-CO2) ionizations at energies above 14 eV justify the electron-molecule interactions, which in turn define the cross-section values. A group of CO2 vibration modes that can be triggered by inelastic electron collisions make up the majority of the cross-section at energies around 14 eV 2. Three main processes influence the electron avalanche process in the Martian atmosphere. 1) electron impact ionization, which is an electron source in the gas; 2) e-CO2 dissociative attachment, which results in the loss of electrons when an electron of a certain energy interacts with the CO2 molecules and splits the molecules into CO and O-; and 3) electron recombination, which is also an electron loss process3,4. Here, spherical complex optical potential (SCOP) is used to derive the total cross section and determine the inelastic cross section. We use the variant Complex Scattering Potential-ionization Contribution (vCSP-ic) method to calculate ionization cross-section. Our results are compared with the available experimental and theoretical data.