Use of Inelastic Electron Scattering Data to Obtain Accurate Born Cross Sections for Atom-Atom and Other Heavy-Particle Collisions. I. Proton Excitation of the Schumann-Runge Continuum inO2

Abstract

It is pointed out that the accurate generalized oscillator strengths obtained by Lassettre and his co-workers from inelastic electron scattering experiments make it possible to evaluate the first-Born-approximation cross sections for certain ion-atom, atom-molecule, etc. collisions with greater accuracy than can usually be obtained if the generalized oscillator strengths are calculated from the electronic wave functions of the colliding particles. The idea is illustrated by a comparison of the experimental generalized oscillator strength for the excitation of the Schumann-Runge transition in ${\mathrm{O}}_2$ with a theoretical generalized oscillator strength based on Kotani's wave functions for ${\mathrm{O}}_2$, and by the calculation of the Born total cross section for proton excitation of this transition. The cross section is compared with that obtained by Breene via an impact-parameter calculation.