Calculated cross sections for low energy electron collision with OH

The hydroxyl radical, OH, is an important component of many natural and technological plasmasa#13; but there is little available information on processes involving itsa#13; collisions with low-energy electrons. Low-energy electron collisionsa#13; with OH are studied in the framework of the R-matrix method. Potentiala#13; energy curves of some of the low lying target states of doublet anda#13; quartet symmetry which go to the O($^3$P)+H($^2$S),a#13; O($^1$D)+H($^2$S) and O($^1$S)+H($^2$S) asymptotic limits area#13; obtained for inter nuclear separations between $1-6~a_0$.a#13; Scattering calculations are performed at the OH equilibrium geometrya#13; $R_e=1.8342~a_0$ to yield cross sections for elastic scattering,a#13; electronic excitations form the $\mathrm{X}\,^2\Pi$ ground state to the firsta#13; three excited states of $\mathrm{A}\,^2\Sigma^+$, $a\,^4\Sigma^-$, $1\,^2\Sigma^-$ a#13; symmetry and for electron impact dissociation of OH. The positions a#13; and widths for negative ion resonances in the $e$--OH system are useda#13; estimate the cross section for dissociative electron attachment to a#13; OH which is found to be significant at electron energies about 1.5 eV.a#13;