A classical trajectory study of inelastic scattering in the system He+H2

Abstract

The classical trajectory study method has been used to investigate inelastic scattering in the system He+H₂ using previously developed collision models. The calculations spanned the total energy range E=0.403 eV to E=1.900 eV. For all cases studied, H₂ was initially in the ground vibrational–rotational state. Despite the fact that over half the energies employed were above the threshold (E_th?0.8 eV) for vibrational excitation of H₂, the scattering was found to populate only the lowest two allowed rotational levels of the vibrational ground state. The classical cross sections obtained are compared with those from previous exact quantal (close‐coupled), effective potential, and coupled states calculations.