Non-Hermitian quantum mechanics: Wave packet propagation on autoionizing potential energy surfaces

The correspondence between the time-dependent and time-independent molecular dynamic formalisms is shown for autoionizing processes. We demonstrate that the definition of the inner product in non-Hermitian quantum mechanics plays a key role in the proof. When the final state of the process is dissociative, it is technically favorable to introduce a complex absorbing potential into the calculations. The conditions which this potential should fulfill are briefly discussed. An illustrative numerical example is presented involving three potential energy surfaces. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.