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Title: Multidimensional WKB approach to high-energy elastic scattering at fixed angle

Journal Article · · Phys. Rev. D; (United States)

We discuss here the application of a multidimensional WKB method to the Schroedinger equation and the Klein-Gordon equation. This method enables us to calculate scattering amplitudes in the limit of large incident momentum p and fixed scattering angle theta. As an application, we calculate the scattering amplitude for the Klein-Gordon equation with the potential ..cap alpha..e/sup -lambdar//r, and find that in the limit of large p and fixed theta, it is equal to the scattering amplitude for a Coulomb potential multiplied by (lambdae/sup ..gamma..//2p)/sup 2ialpha/, where ..gamma.. = 0.57721... . Our result differs from the eikonal formula, in the high-energy fixed-angle region. We also show that our formula agrees with the eikonal formula for small scattering angles satisfying 1>>theta>>lambda/p. Thus our formula, together with the eikonal formula, give complete information on the high-energy amplitude for all angles. A side result of the application of the WKB method is a generalized eikonal formula for the case of the Klein-Gordon equation with a four-potential A/sub ..mu../(x) which depends not only on space but also on time. This formula holds for the scattering amplitude in the region p..-->..infinity with the momentum transfer fixed.

Research Organization:
Department of Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
OSTI ID:
6702398
Journal Information:
Phys. Rev. D; (United States), Vol. 26:4
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English