Rotational predissociation of strongly anisotropic Van der Waals complexes: the He - CO example.

A very accurate method is applied, within the theoretical framework of the scattering close-coupling equations, to treat rotational predissociation processes in the He-CO van der Waals molecule. The method was already employed successfully to study vibrational predissociation of the He-I*2 complexes and shows in the present case significant differences with several approximate methods used to estimate resonance positions. The physical implications of such differences are analyzed and discussed.