Hyperfine Pressure Shift and van der Waals Interaction. IV. Hydrogen-Rare-Gas Systems

Abstract

Earlier work on the hyperfine pressure shift (HPS) of hydrogen atoms in a helium atmosphere is generalized and extended to include the entire rare-gas series from helium to xenon. Such an analysis allows a more complete understanding of the relative importance of short-range and long-range contributions to the HPS data over the rare-gas series. The temperature variation of the hyperfine constant has also been analyzed in some detail, and comparison is made with available experimental data on H-He and H-Ar systems. The over-all nature of agreement between theory and experiment indicates the need for incorporation of short-range correlation effects for the lighter rare-gas systems such as H-He and H-Ne, while for the heavier rare gases a careful treatment of the intermediate range is essential.