Inelastic long range interaction

This chapter deals with qnantal and semiclassical theory of heavy-particle and electron-atom collisions. Basic and nsefnl fonnnlae for cross sections, rates and associated quantities are presented. A consistent description of the mathematics and vocabnlary of scattering is provided. Topics covered inclnde collisions, rate coefficients, qnantal transition rates and cross sections. Bom cross sections, qnantal potential scattering, collisions between identical particles, qnantal inelastic heavy-particle collisions, electron-atom inelastic collisions, semiclassical inelastic scattering and long-range interactions. 

Alexanderi found that the largest cross sections are associated with nearly resonant dipole-allowed processes, with ji,j2 Ji 1, J2 + 1 R-R process and with the 00 - 11 T-R process. He concluded, in addition, that the total inelastic cross section is determined mainly by the dipole-dipole interaction, but that short-range anisotropic forces are probably more important for smaller state-to-state cross sections than are long-range forces involving multipole-multipole interactions higher order than the dipole-dipole one. 

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