Single- and Double-electron Capture Cross Sections for O6+ Ion in Collisions with H2 Molecules

Abstract

Single- and double-electron capture (SEC and DEC) processes occurring in O ^6+ and H _2 collisions are investigated in a wide-energy domain ranging from 0.1 to 100 keV u ^−1 . Total and partial cross sections are calculated using a three-center, two-active-electron, semiclassical nonperturbative approach. To date, our close-coupling description of the collision is the most elaborate one in terms of accounting for electron correlation, molecular structures, and active channels. Our results are, in general, in good agreement with the available experimental ones for both total and partial cross sections. The comparison between the present calculations and available experimental data suggests that about 70% of the autoionization double capture may contribute to the measured SEC cross sections through postcollisional autoionization, while the stabilization of 30% of doubly excited states via the autotransfer to Rydberg states mechanism contributes to the measured DEC ones. Furthermore, we extend the understanding of the electron-capture processes on this system to impact energies above 20 keV u ^−1 for which no data exists. Our work provides new data for these electronic processes, which will be helpful for modeling astrophysical X-ray emissions induced by charge exchange.

Keywords

• Atomic physics
• Collisional processes
• Atomic data
• Charge transfer
• Charge exchange recombination