An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A process where a positive molecular ion recombines with an electron, and as a result it dissociates into two neutral products. For example, AB⁺ + e^-→ A + B, where e^- is an electron, AB⁺ is a diatomic or polyatomic molecular ion, and A and B are the neutral fragmentation products. Dissociative recombination is the dominant recombination process in planetary ionospheres and interstellar clouds.

See also: → dissociative; → recombination.