Improved rates for three-body recombination at low temperature

The three-body recombination (TBR) process is important in modelling plasmas for wide range of temperature T and densities N. At low T, the conventional form of the TBR rates exhibits the disastrous T-9/2 dependence, but has been remedied recently by introducing a simple N dependent cutoff. In this report, we consider further the second major adjustment that involves the final captured state degeneracy, which is dictated by the dynamics of recombination. Thus, the two gross adjustments made should for the first time put the TBR rates at low temperature to within an order of magnitude accuracy. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.