Statistical theory of energy transfer in ion-molecule collisions

Recent experimental studies of polyatomic excited ions have generated interest in energy transfer taking place in non-reactive ion-neutral collisions. To date, most of the theoretical effort in this field has been devoted to energy transfer in neutral-neutral collisions. The purpose of the present work was to examine the so-called statistical theory of energy transfer set up specifically to deal with ion-neutral interactions. Numerical data are given for comparative calculations for CH3NC + M and C5H9+ + M, where M was CH4, CF4 or C3H8. The results are shown as calculated energy decrements per collision. (U.K.)