Electron impact electronic excitation of CH molecules

Electronic excitation of CH molecules by electrons is of fundamental importance in fusion plasmas. Furthermore, excited Rydberg states of CH play a vital role in the dissociative recombination process. The authors have performed ab initio calculations on the e- - CH scattering complex, at low impact energies, using the R-matrix technique. The X 2Π, ground state and the lowest four valence excited states (A 2Δ, B 2Σ-, C 2Σ+ and 4Σ-), of CH are included in the close coupling expansion with each state being represented by a multi-configuration interaction wave function. Cross section calculations for electron scattering from CH molecules in the 1Δ symmetry are in progress and a comprehensive set of results will be presented at the meeting