Polarization recombination as a new channel for recombination of free electrons on complex ions

A new channel for recombination of free electrons on multicharged ions with a complex core is under investigation. The channel is connected with a dynamic polarization of an ion's core by the colliding electron which results in radiation of the core and capture of the electron. This new channel (called polarization recombination, PlR) is estimated in the frame of a statistical (Thomas-Fermi) model of the complex ion. It is shown that the contribution of PlR to the total recombination rates may be comparable to or exceed (by more than an order of magnitude) the standard contribution of radiative recombination.