MASS-ACTION LAW FOR HIGHLY EXCITED DIMERS

Dimer partition functions and the equilibrium constant for dissociatio n to monomers are investigated in the classical approximation taking i nto account the limited number of bound and quasibound pair states. It is shown how the dimerization mass action law should be modified when thermal excitation is not negligible in comparison to the dissociatio n energy from the ground state. The results are applicable to a variet y of weakly bound species near room temperature as well as to conventi onal diatomics affected by extreme nonequilibrium heating. (C) 1998 Pu blished by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.