AN ESTIMATE OF THE TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENCE OF THE STOPPING CROSS-SECTION IN MOLECULAR TARGETS

Using the polarization propagator formalism, we have calculated the di pole oscillator strength distribution for H-2 at various internuclear distances. The appropriate quantities were then temperature averaged, and used in conjunction with Bethe, Barkas and Bloch terms to estimate the effect of temperature on molecular stopping. The change in stoppi ng cross section was found to be of the order of 10% in the case of H- 2 for temperature differences of 5000 K. We argue that this is conside rably larger than the H-2/D2 isotope effect.