On the effect of anharmonicity in the H+H2 reaction

Close-coupling calculations in natural collision coordinates on the reactive scattering of H + H2 are reported. A procedure for allowing for anharmonic motion perpendicular to the reaction path is described. The results suggest that the discrepancy between results obtained by Wu and Levine (Molec. Phys.; 22:881 (1971)) and by other workers is not due to a failure of their method but to their neglect of anharmonic terms in the potential surface. (author)