Abstract
Recombination coefficients of electrons with HC ions have been determined with a microwave afterglow/mass-spectrometer apparatus. Afterglow measurements of electron density decays in neon-hydrogen-carbon-monoxide mixtures are correlated with the decay of mass-identified ion currents to the wall of the microwave cavity. At the appropriate partial pressures of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the mixture, the ion HC dominates the ion composition and its wall current approximately "tracks" the electron density decay curve. From recombination controlled electron density decay curves, the values /sec are obtained at 205 and 300 K, respectively. The implications of these results for models of polyatomic-molecule formation in dense interstellar clouds are briefly discussed.
- Received 14 March 1973
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.8.420
©1973 American Physical Society