Influence of the Dipole Interaction on the Low-Energy Ion-Molecule Reactions

Abstract

Collision dynamics of an ion-polar molecule system is influenced considerably by the dipole interaction. The recently-developed PRS (Perturbed Rotational State) approach is applied to the problem. It is found that the ion-polar molecule reaction rate is more than ten times larger in interstellar molecular clouds than the widely-used Langevan value. A scaling law holds approximately for the effective cross section as a function of the collision energy.