Destruction rate of H3+ by low-energy electrons measured in a storage-ring experiment

Knowledge of the abundance of H(3)(+) is needed in interstellar and planetary atmospheric chemistry. An important destruction mechanism of H(3)(+) is low-energy electron impact followed by dissociation, but estimates of the reaction rate span several orders of magnitude. As an attempt to resolve thi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1994-02, Vol.263 (5148), p.785-787
Main Authors: SUNDSTRÖM, G, MOWAT, J. R, AF UGGLAS, M, LARSSON, M, DANARED, H, DATZ, S, BROSTRÖM, L, FILEVICH, A, KÄLLBERG, A, MANNERVIK, S, RENSFELT, K. G, SIGRAY, P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astronomy
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
General, solar nebula, and cosmogony
Interstellar hydrogen
Solar system
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Knowledge of the abundance of H(3)(+) is needed in interstellar and planetary atmospheric chemistry. An important destruction mechanism of H(3)(+) is low-energy electron impact followed by dissociation, but estimates of the reaction rate span several orders of magnitude. As an attempt to resolve this uncertainty, the cross section for dissociative recombination of vibrationally cold H(3)(+) has been measured with an ion storage ring down to collision energies below 1 millielectron volt. A rate coefficient of 1.15 x 10(-7) cubic centimeters per second at 300 kelvin was deduced. The cross section scaled with collision energy according to E(-1.15), giving thee rate a temperature dependence of T(-0.65).
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.263.5148.785