Two- and three-body kinematical correlation in the dissociative recombination of H-3(+)

Fragmentation patterns for dissociative recombination of the triatomic hydr ogen molecular ion H-3(+) in the vibrational ground state have been measure d using the storage ring technique and molecular fragment imaging. A broad distribution of vibrational states in the H-2 fragment after two-body disso ciation and a large predominance of nearly linear momentum geometries after three-body dissociation are found. The fragmentation results are directly contrasted with Coulomb explosion imaging data on the initial H-3(+) geomet ry, compared to existing wave-packet calculations, and considered in the li ght of a simple physical picture.