We consider cold collisions of $\mathrm{O}\mathrm{H}$ molecules in the $^{2}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Pi}}_{3∕2}$ ground state, under the influence of a magnetic field. We find that modest fields of several thousand gauss can act to suppress inelastic collisions of weak-field-seeking states by two orders of magnitude. We attribute this suppression to two factors: (i) an indirect coupling of the entrance and the exit channel, in contrast to the effect of an applied electric field; and (ii) the relative shift of the entrance and exit scattering thresholds. In view of these results, magnetic trapping of $\mathrm{O}\mathrm{H}$ may prove feasible.We consider cold collisions of $\mathrm{O}\mathrm{H}$ molecules in the $^{2}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Pi}}_{3∕2}$ ground state, under the influence of a magnetic field. We find that modest fields of several thousand gauss can act to suppress inelastic collisions of weak-field-seeking states by two orders of magnitude. We attribute this suppression to two factors: (i) an indirect coupling of the entrance and the exit channel, in contrast to the effect of an applied electric field; and (ii) the relative shift of the entrance and exit scattering thresholds. In view of these results, magnetic trapping of $\mathrm{O}\mathrm{H}$ may prove feasible.

arXiv:physics/0410023Physical Review AFeb 16, 200552 citations

We consider cold collisions of

\mathrm{O}\mathrm{H}

molecules in the $^{2}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Pi}}_{3∕2}$ ground state, under the influence of a magnetic field. We find that modest fields of several thousand gauss can act to suppress inelastic collisions of weak-field-seeking states by two orders of magnitude. We attribute this suppression to two factors: (i) an indirect coupling of the entrance and the exit channel, in contrast to the effect of an applied electric field; and (ii) the relative shift of the entrance and exit scattering thresholds. In view of these results, magnetic trapping of

\mathrm{O}\mathrm{H}

may prove feasible.