Measure for the effect of quantum interference between radiative and dielectronic recombination - art. no. 030501

The electron-ion photorecombination (PR) cross section is known to have an asymmetric energy profile, as a result of quantum interference between dire ct radiative and dielectronic recombination. We introduce a parameter that reflects the degree of this asymmetry and use it to identify PR transitions for which the effects of interference may be observable. Significantly asy mmetric PR cross-section profiles are found for a few PR transitions from H e-like Ar and Fe via 1s2l2l' autoionizing levels. The profile asymmetry par ameter provides a physical measure for the scaling of the interference effe ct with the ion charge.