THE EFFECTS OF DEGENERACY OF THE INELASTIC SCATTERING OF ELECTRONS AND PROTONS BY HYDROGEN ATOMS

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1963 · Proc. Phys. Soc. (London)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0370-1328/81/1/305· OSTI ID:4715475

Robinson, P D

An investigation is made of the effects of 2s:2p degeneracy on cross sections for the 1s and up to st r 2p and 1s and up to st r 2s excitation of hydrogen atoms by electron and proton impact. The initial relative energy ranges considered are 10.2 to 50 ev for electrons and 0.25 to 50 kev for protons. A simple rotating axis approximation of Bates is employed, and the degeneracy is allowed for by using spheroidal atomic wave functions in the matrix elements rather than pure 2s or 2p functiona. These spheroidal functions are varying linear combinations of 2s and 2p, and are the correct zero-order functions for the atom perturbed by a charged particle. The degeneracy effects are measured by comparing the direct cross sections found using the pure 2s and 2p functions with the indirect cross sections obtained from the spheroidal functions. The indirect results are quite different from the direct ones for slow collisions, both for electron and for proton impact. Comparisons are made with the Born approximation, with certain more refined results of other authors, and (for electron impact) with the experimental evidence. The indications are that the indirect cross sections are the better for slow collisions, and it is concluded that allowance should certainly be made for degeneracy effects if accurate excitation cross sections are desired. (auth)

• Research Organization: Oxford Univ.
• NSA Number: NSA-17-021066
• OSTI ID: 4715475
• Journal Information: Proc. Phys. Soc. (London), Journal Name: Proc. Phys. Soc. (London) Vol. Vol: 81
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ATOMS
BORN APPROXIMATION
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLISIONS
CROSS SECTIONS
ELECTRONS
ENERGY
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY RANGE
EXCITATION
HYDROGEN
MATHEMATICS
MATRICES
MEASURED VALUES
PERTURBATION THEORY
PHYSICS
PROTONS
QUANTUM MECHANICS
SCATTERING