The Radiative Association of Li + and H, Li and H +, and Li and H

Abstract

The rate coefficients for formation of LiH<SUP>+</SUP> and LiH by radiative association are determined for temperatures between 50 and 5000 K by quantum mechanical methods. The rate coefficients generally decrease slowly with temperature and have magnitudes at 300 K of 7.5 × 10<SUP>-23</SUP>, 3.3 × 10<SUP>-15</SUP>, and 3.3 × 10<SUP>-2</SUP> cm<SUP>3</SUP> s<SUP>-1</SUP> for Li<SUP>+</SUP> + H, Li + H<SUP>+</SUP>, and Li + H, respectively. Radiative association cross sections and ab initio potentials and dipole moments for the ground and 2<SUP>2</SUP>Σ<SUP>+</SUP> states of LiH<SUP>+</SUP> are also given. We briefly discuss the importance of these formation rates for the lithium chemistry of the early universe.