Low-temperature dissociative recombination of e+H/sup +//sub 3/

Journal Article · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/184378· OSTI ID:6093708

Michels, H H; Hobbs, R H

Accurate ab initio calculations of the ground and excited H/sub 3/ potential energy surfaces have been carried out. These surfaces have been examined at geometries appropriate for an analysis of the reaction products of e+H/sup +//sub 3/ dissociative recombination. Direct recombination occurs through the /sup 2/A/sub 1/ resonance state which correlates diabatically to H/sup +//sub 2/+H/sup -/. For low collisional energies, this resonance state is accessible only to H/sup +//sub 3/ ions with at least three quanta of vibrational energy. Indirect dissociative recombination of e+H/sup +//sub 3/, via capture into vibrationally excited Rydberg states of H/sub 3/ also has a very low probability since there are no effective curve crossings with the lower valence states dissociating to H+H+H or H+H/sub 2/. We estimate that the currently accepted values of the e+H/sup +//sub 3/ recombination coefficient for interstellar conditions are two orders of magnitude too large.

• Research Organization: United Technologies Research Center, East Hartford, Connecticut
• OSTI ID: 6093708
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States) Vol. 286:1; ISSN AJLEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640302* -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Atomic & Molecular Properties & Theory
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
CATIONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COLLISIONS
DISSOCIATION
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON-ION COLLISIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
ENERGY LEVELS
EXCITED STATES
GROUND STATES
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN IONS
HYDROGEN IONS 3 PLUS
INTERSTELLAR GRAINS
ION COLLISIONS
IONS
MECHANICS
MOLECULAR IONS
NONMETALS
PARTICLES
POTENTIAL ENERGY
QUANTUM MECHANICS
RECOMBINATION