Computation of cross sections for the F+H2(v=0,j=0) → FH(v′j)+H reaction by the hyperspherical method

A quantum mechanical calculation of cross sections for the reaction F+H2(v=0,j=0) → FH(v′j′)+H has been performed on the T5A semiempirical potential surface using hyperspherical coordinates. State-to-state integral and differential cross sections converge rapidly with the number of components of the total angular momentum projection onto the axis of least inertia. Thev′=3 differential cross section has a forward peak whose magnitude increases with energy whereas thev′=2 differential cross section has a backward maximum, in qualitative agreement with cross-beam experiments. Thev′=2 andv′=3 rotational distributions are in rather good agreement with experiment, but not the vibrational branching ratios.