Ionization, dissociation, and heating efficiencies of cosmic rays in a gas of molecular hydrogen

Calculations are presented for the efficiencies with which cosmic rays (having energies of 1-100 MeV) traversing a molecular hydrogen gas produce H2(+), H(+), and H(-) ions, and H atoms. More specifically, detailed descriptions are made of both the primary and secondary processes of such rays, noting parameters including proton impact ionization cross sections and mean energies of secondary electrons.