Absorbing-sphere model for calculating ion-ion recombination total cross sections.

An 'absorbing-sphere' model based on the Landau-Zener method is set up for calculating the upper limit thermal energy (300 K) reaction rate and the energy dependence of the total cross sections. The crucial parameter needed for the calculation is the electron detachment energy for the outer electron on the anion. It is found that the cross sections increase with decreasing electron detachment energy.