Photodissociation ofH2+andD2+: Theory

Theory is described and calculations made for photodissociation cross section of ${\mathrm{H}}_2^{+}$ (${\mathrm{D}}_2^{+}$) from each of the ion's 19 (27) vibrational levels. Cross sections are summed over an assumed Franck-Condon distribution of initial vibrational states to give a predicted cross section for comparison with experiment. Auxiliary calculations are made of some of the cross sections using the common $\delta$-function approximation to the continuum radial wave functions, and a comparison made with the results using more exact wave functions shows very good agreement for photodissociation from the lowest vibrational levels, but very poor agreement for photodissociation from higher levels.