The problem of dissociative ionization at intermediate intensities ( ${10}^{10}–{10}^{12}\mathrm{W}{\mathrm{cm}}^{-2\mathrm{}}$) was studied using the example of ${\mathrm{I}}_2$ and the technique of velocity map imaging. Several new phenomena were observed, including a continuous distribution of recoil energies peaked at zero-kinetic energy, a set of constant dissociative ionic states, and strong anisotropy of the fragment velocity distribution that is diminished by intermediate resonances.

• Received 12 July 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.86.2245