Physical interpretation of the Kinetic Energy Release effect in the double photoionization of H2

A physical interpretation is given for the variation with internuclear separation of the fully differential cross section for double photoionization of H(2). This effect is analyzed in a geometry where the fourbody interaction is completely probed. Excellent agreement is found between experiment and time-dependent close-coupling theory after convoluting the latter over the relevant solid angles. We show the observed variations are purely due to the epsilon(Sigma) component of the polarization vector epsilon along the molecular axis, a conclusion which is supported through calculations of the photoionization of H(2)(+).