Dissociative recombination of Ar 2

We present calculated cross sections and rate coefficients for dissociative recombination of the ${{\mathrm{Ar}}_{2}}^{+}$ molecular ion in the low-energy region $(l0.5\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV})$. In this region, the cross section is dominated by resonances, the repulsive Rydberg states converging to the excited states of the ion, which cross the ground state of the ion near equilibrium geometry. The resonance curves and their parameters were determined from electron scattering calculations using the complex Kohn variational method and molecular quantum chemistry techniques. The nuclear dynamics were studied using a time-independent, nonlocal potential model solved using a discrete variable representation and exterior complex scaling. The calculated cross sections and rate coefficients are reported and compared to available experiments. The temperature dependence of the rate coefficients is examined as well as the branching fractions of the resulting atomic fragments.