Full-dimensional quantum scattering calculations of rovibrationally excited HD+HD collisions

Abstract

Full-dimensional quantum scattering calculations are reported for rovibrational transitions in HD+HD collisions using a highly accurate interaction potential for the H2–H2 system. Several near-resonant rovibrational transitions are identified that conserve the overall rotational angular momentum and nearly conserve the internal energy of the collision partners. Key anisotropic terms that drive the rotational transitions and angular momentum partial waves that contribute to low-energy resonant features in the energy dependence of the cross-sections are identified. The computed results agree with total cross-sections reported in previous experimental results, including resonant features in the energy dependence of the cross-section. In particular, low-energy cross-sections show a strong resonant feature associated with an l = 3 partial wave in the incident channel. Rate coefficients for several inelastic rotational and rovibrational transitions are reported for temperatures ranging from 0.1 to 200 K, and they display a maximum between 1 and 10 K, reflecting the important contributions from the l = 3 shape resonance that occurs around 2.5 K.