Velocity distributions of energetic atoms in planetary exospheres from dissociative recombination

[1] A kinetic theory description of translational energetic atoms in the upper planetary atmosphere is presented. A new analytical result for the velocity distribution of the products of reactive collisions is described. Our calculation takes into account different temperatures of the reactants and arbitrary dependence of the cross section on the relative velocity of the colliding particles. The final result is applied to the production of hot oxygen and carbon by dissociative recombination of O-2(+) and CO+, respectively. The nascent distribution of hot atoms generated in this way is compared with the earlier Monte Carlo calculations. We use the Boltzmann equation to study the thermalization of the hot oxygen via collisions with the thermal oxygen population. The results of this calculation demonstrate quasi-steady state velocity distribution of high-energy oxygen atoms near the exobase of Venus for daytime conditions.