The evaluation of charge transfer matrix elements in light ion collisions with non-relativistic atoms /
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| Other Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
1981.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | ProQuest, Abstract Link to OAKTrust copy Link to ProQuest copy |
| Abstract: | Charge transfer is the process in which an orbital electron is transferred between two colliding atoms or ions. As it is one of the processes by which an atom becomes non-neutral in hot plasmas, it is important for fusion research. Progress has been made recently at the Physics Department, Texas A&M University in the theoretical understanding of charge transfer. The "projectile" ion is assumed to follow a straight-line classical trajectory. As the projectile approaches the target, it provides a time dependent perturbation of the electrons which are attached to the target. The resulting time dependent Schroedinger equation is solved by expanding the wave function in a truncated set of Hilbert states centered on the target, or on the projectile, with coefficients which are found from a variational principle. The infinite rank operators which appear in the Schroedinger equation are thus replaced by finite matrices. The elements of these matrices are called "charge transfer matrix elements". A major difficulty in solving the charge transfer problem is to find these matrix elements numerically. In this dissertation, a new technique is derived which allows a completely analytic evaluation of these elements. A computer program to calculate the elements has been written. The resulting matrix elements are checked against approximate analytic expressions also derived in the dissertation, and against a charge transfer code previously developed by the group at A&M. As this program is much faster than existing ones, it can be of great use in future research in this area. |
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| Item Description: | Typescript (photocopy). Vita. "Major subject: Physics." |
| Physical Description: | xi, 127 leaves : illustrations ; 29 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-126). |