Electron impact excitation of N₂. I. Resonant phenomena associated with the A ³ Σ _u⁺ and B ³ Π _g valence states

The electron impact cross sections for vibrational excitation of the A ³ Sigma _u⁺ and B ³ Pi _g valence states of the N₂ molecule show similar broad overlapping resonant peaks for impact energies from about 8.2 to 11 eV for the A ³ Sigma _u⁺ state and from about 9 to 11.5 eV for the B ³ Pi _g state. In each case, a sequence of minor oscillations is superimposed on these peaks. In the cross section of the vibrational levels of the B ³ Pi _g state, the minor peaks appear at different energies and with slightly different spacings.