Solution of the proton-hydrogen scattering problem using a quantum-mechanical two-center convergent close-coupling method

Abstract

Details of the recently developed quantum-mechanical two-center convergent close-coupling approach (Abdurakhmanov et al 2016 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Phys. 49 03LT01) to proton-hydrogen scattering are presented. The formulation is based on the exact (fully quantum-mechanical) three-body Schrödinger equation. The total scattering wavefunction is expanded using a two-center pseudostate basis. This allows one to include all underlying processes, namely, direct scattering and ionization, electron capture into bound and continuum states of the projectile. The off-shell integration in the coupled-channel Lippmann-Schwinger integral equations emerging from the three-body Schrödinger equation for the scattering wavefunction is taken analytically which greatly reduces computational effort. While the calculated electron capture cross sections are in a good agreement with experiment, some discrepancy exists for the ionization cross sections.