ABSTRACT
Electron collisions were amongst the earliest collision processes to occur after the Big Bang and played a crucial role in the development of the universe. Space and the stars within it are plasmas, and thus electrons are inherent in the physical and chemical processes that pervade them. The effect of electrons on any target depends very largely on their kinetic energy. For example, in addition to inelastic collisions causing the electronic excitation of atoms and the rotational, vibrational, and electronic excitation of molecules, electrons can cause chemistry. The steady-state concentration of electrons and ions is given by setting their rate of formation and their rate of removal to be equal. Electrons in space therefore play an essential function in shaping the universe, and further studies have the prospect of revealing their part in creation of planets and the synthesis of prebiotic molecules, which are the harbinger of life itself.
