Ion-induced triple fragmentation of CO23+ into C+ + O+ + O+

Dissociation of CO23+ formed in fast, heavy-ion-induced ionization of CO2, using 5 MeV u(-1) Si12+ ions as projectiles, has been studied by the technique of multi-ion coincidence momentum imaging. From the momentum correlation between the ejected ions, we conclude that dissociation of CO23+ into C+ + O+ + O+ is a concerted process involving linear and bent conformations of CO23+. The kinetic-energy-release spectrum of the dissociation channel CO23+ -> C+ + O+ + O+ is measured and the possible excited states of CO23+ are computed ab initio.