RATE OF FORMATION OF HYDROGEN MOLECULES BY THREE-BODY RECOMBINATION DURING PRIMORDIAL STAR FORMATION

Astrophysical models of primordial star formation require rate constants for three-body recombination as input. The current status of these rates for H-2 due to collisions with H is far from satisfactory, with published rate constants showing orders of magnitude disagreement at the temperatures relevant for H-2 formation in primordial gas. This Letter presents an independent calculation of this recombination rate constant as a function of temperature. An analytic expression is provided for the rate constant which should be more reliable than ones currently being used in astrophysical models.