Isotope effect in the formation of carbon monoxide by radiative association

Abstract

Rate coefficients for the formation of 12CO and 13CO isotopologues of carbon monoxide by radiative association for T = 10-20 000 K are calculated using a quantum mechanical approach. It is shown that the presence of the potential barrier on the A1Π electronic state of CO leads to different formation channels for the isotopologues at low temperatures. The corresponding rate coefficients are fitted to an analytic formula. © 2013 The AuthorsPublished by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.