We present a practical numerical technique for calculating tunneling
ionization rates from arbitrary 1-D potential wells in the presence of a linear
external potential by determining the widths of the resonances in the spectral
density, rho(E), adiabatically connected to the field-free bound states. While
this technique applies to more general external potentials, we focus on the
ionization of electrons from atoms and molecules by DC electric fields, as this
has an important and immediate impact on the understanding of the multiphoton
ionization of molecules in strong laser fields.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, LaTe
