Formation of carbon monoxide by radiative association: A quantum dynamical study

Abstract

Rate coefficients for the formation of carbon monoxide (CO) by radiative association of carbon and oxygen atoms are computed using quantum dynamical simulations. At temperatures above 10 K CO radiative association is dominated by C(3P) and O(3P) approaching on the A1Π potential energy curve. The rate coefficient is estimated as k=A(T/300K)αexp-β/T with A= 1.39 × 10-18cm3s-1, α=-0.016 and β= 92.2 for temperatures between 6 and 127.2K, and A= 1.36 × 10-17cm3s-1, α= 0.41 and β= 340 for temperatures between 127.2 and 15000K. Furthermore we computed the rate coefficients for approaching on the X1Σ+ curve. For temperatures below 200K it is between 0.7 × 10-22 and 4 × 10-22cm3s-1. © 2011 The Authors Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society © 2011 RAS.