Photodissociation of triatomic molecules: Rotational scattering effectsa)

Formation of NaCl through radiative association: Computations accounting for non-adiabatic dynamics

The radiative association (RA) rate constant is computed for the formation of the diatomic sodium chloride (NaCl) molecule in the temperature interval 1 K-30 K. At these temperatures, RA of NaCl through non-adiabatic dynamics is important. A scattering program has been implemented to carry out calculations of RA cross sections, accounting for coupled dynamics on the lowest ionic and the lowest neutral diabatic ¹Σ⁺ states. The study shows that the non-adiabatic treatment gives a cross section that exceeds that of conventional adiabatic dynamics by one to four orders of magnitude. The contribution to the RA rate constant from Na and Cl approaching each other in the A¹Π state has also been computed using an established quantum mechanical method. Ab initio data from the literature have been used for the potential energy curves, the diabatic coupling, and the electric dipole moments of NaCl.

On the gas-phase formation of the HCO- anion: accurate quantum study of the H- + CO radiative association and HCO radiative electron attachment

The hydrogen anion has never been observed in the interstellar medium, but it is most likely present in some interstellar regions. Since direct detection appears especially difficult, improving the knowledge of the astrochemical processes involving this anion should be valuable in defining a way of indirect detection. We present the first study of the radiative association of H- and CO to form the HCO- anion within a quantum time-independent approach. We use a state-of-the-art potential energy surface which has been calculated for the present study. The calculated radiative association rate coefficient is monotonically decreasing from 6 × 10-16 to 5 × 10-19 cm3 per molecule per s across the 0.01-1000 K temperature range. At the typical temperature of the cold interstellar medium, ∼10 K, the radiative association rate is ∼2 × 10-17 cm3 per molecule per s. On the other hand, the plane wave approximation is used to calculate the HCO radiative electron attachment rate coefficient. It is found to be almost constant and also equal to 2 × 10-17 cm3 per molecule per s. Setting aside the question of the abundances of the reactants of both processes, these results demonstrate that among the two gas-phase modes of production of the HCO- anion in cold interstellar medium considered in this study, the H- + CO radiative association is dominating below 10 K while the radiative electron attachment rate is larger above 10 K.

A new theoretical method for calculating the radiative association cross section of a triatomic molecule: application to N2-H-

We present a new theoretical method to treat the atom-diatom radiative association within a time independent approach. This method is an adaptation of the driven equations method developed for photodissociation. The bound state energies and wave functions of the molecule are calculated exactly and used to propagate the overlap with the initial scattering wave function. In the second part of this paper, this approach is applied to the radiative association of the N2H(-) anion. The main features of the radiative association cross sections are analysed and the magnitude of the calculated rate coefficient at 10 K is used to discuss the existence of the N2H(-) in the interstellar medium which could be used as a tracer of both N2 and H(-).