Expected strong angular dependence of multi-ionization cross sections of diatomic molecules

In the framework of a simple (atomic) model, already developed by other authors to compare ionization cross sections for diatomic molecules oriented with internuclear axis parallel or perpendicular to an ion beam, we have calculated the dependence of multi-ionization cross sections upon any relative orientation of the internuclear axis and the impinging ion direction. The results of our calculations are shown to fairly reproduce experimental data recently published about doubly ionized CO molecules. They suggest caution and increased attention to these orientation effects in the determination of kinetic energy distributions of fragments, dissociation fractions, and branching ratios for highly ionized molecules.