FINGERPRINTS OF BROAD OVERLAPPING RESONANCES IN THE E-2 CROSS-SECTION(H)

We have shown here that the sharp peaks in the e + H-2 vibrational exc itation cross section indicate the existence of transition states of H -2(-) which have lifetimes 2-3 times larger than the lifetimes of indi vidual overlapping H-2(-) autoionization resonances. Each one of these transition states is associated with a collective ensemble of overlap ping broad resonances of H-2(-) and therefore does not necessarily dec ay exponentially in time. The structure in the experimental cross sect ion is shown to be a result of the quantum interference between the ov erlapping resonances of H-2(-).