Explore a practical approach to electron-hydrogen collisions using a variational lens that clarifies cross-section calculations.
This work applies Schwinger’s variational expression to elastic scattering, showing how Born trial fields can make complex integrals tractable and improve results over the ordinary Born approximation at low energies.
This edition discusses how a static Hartree field, as well as the full Green’s function, affect scattering amplitudes. It reveals how higher atomic states and the continuum contribute to polarization phenomena during collisions, and it compares variational results with exact calculations to demonstrate accuracy and limits. The text also outlines the mathematical foundation, the treatment of exchange and polarization, and the practical steps to evaluate multi-dimensional integrals involved in the method.
- Foundations of the Schwinger variational method for scattering problems.
- How Born trial fields simplify the calculation of cross-sections at low energies.
- The roles of excited states and the continuum in elastic scattering.
- A comparison of variational results with exact and Born approximations.
Ideal for readers of advanced atomic physics and researchers exploring collision theory and cross-section calculations.