The Separation of the Rotational Coordinates from the N-Particle Schroedinger Equation. II

Abstract

Group theoretical methods are used to separate the rotational coordinates from the N‐particle Schroedinger equation and obtain a set of equations which are particularly applicable to the study of collisions involving two sets of particles or two molecules. The coordinates used to describe the configuration of the N particles in a center of gravity coordinate system are those describing the orientation of the system as a whole, the relative orientation and separation of the two molecules, and the internal configuration of each of the molecules. Coupled differential equations involving only the coordinates describing the internal configuration and separation of the molecules are obtained. As a special case the equations are applied to a system consisting of two diatomic molecules.