Abstract
We present calculations of ion-atom collisions using a partial-wave expansion of the projectile wavefunction. Most calculations of ion-atom collisions have typically used classical or plane-wave approximations for the projectile wavefunction, since partial-wave expansions are expected to require prohibitively large numbers of terms to converge scattering quantities. Here we show that such calculations are possible using modern high-performance computing. We demonstrate the utility of our method by examining elastic scattering of protons by hydrogen and helium atoms, problems familiar to undergraduate students of atomic scattering. Application to ionization of helium using partial-wave expansions of the projectile wavefunction, which has long been desirable in heavy-ion collision physics, is thus quite feasible.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 447-452 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | European Journal of Physics |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 10 2009 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
Cite this
Treatment of ion-atom collisions using a partial-wave expansion of the projectilewavefunction. / Wong, Thomas; Foster, M.; Colgan, J.; Madison, D. H.
In: European Journal of Physics, Vol. 30, No. 3, 10.07.2009, p. 447-452.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Treatment of ion-atom collisions using a partial-wave expansion of the projectilewavefunction
AU - Wong, Thomas
AU - Foster, M.
AU - Colgan, J.
AU - Madison, D. H.
PY - 2009/7/10
Y1 - 2009/7/10
N2 - We present calculations of ion-atom collisions using a partial-wave expansion of the projectile wavefunction. Most calculations of ion-atom collisions have typically used classical or plane-wave approximations for the projectile wavefunction, since partial-wave expansions are expected to require prohibitively large numbers of terms to converge scattering quantities. Here we show that such calculations are possible using modern high-performance computing. We demonstrate the utility of our method by examining elastic scattering of protons by hydrogen and helium atoms, problems familiar to undergraduate students of atomic scattering. Application to ionization of helium using partial-wave expansions of the projectile wavefunction, which has long been desirable in heavy-ion collision physics, is thus quite feasible.
AB - We present calculations of ion-atom collisions using a partial-wave expansion of the projectile wavefunction. Most calculations of ion-atom collisions have typically used classical or plane-wave approximations for the projectile wavefunction, since partial-wave expansions are expected to require prohibitively large numbers of terms to converge scattering quantities. Here we show that such calculations are possible using modern high-performance computing. We demonstrate the utility of our method by examining elastic scattering of protons by hydrogen and helium atoms, problems familiar to undergraduate students of atomic scattering. Application to ionization of helium using partial-wave expansions of the projectile wavefunction, which has long been desirable in heavy-ion collision physics, is thus quite feasible.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67649854152&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=67649854152&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1088/0143-0807/30/3/002
DO - 10.1088/0143-0807/30/3/002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:67649854152
VL - 30
SP - 447
EP - 452
JO - European Journal of Physics
JF - European Journal of Physics
SN - 0143-0807
IS - 3
ER -