Photorecombination of Highly Charged, Few-Electron Ions: Importance of Radiation Damping and Absence of Resonance Interference

We use the radiation damped Breit-Pauli $R$-matrix method that was introduced by Robicheaux et al. [Phys. Rev. A 52, 1319 (1995)] to study photorecombination of ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{24+}$. Results are compared to perturbative and experimental results, and agreement is excellent in all cases. It is found that the inclusion of radiation damping is extremely important for this system, whereas resonance interference effects are negligible. These findings are in complete contrast to those of a recent study by Zhang and Pradhan [Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 195 (1997)].