Charge Transfer in Molecular Hydrogen

Abstract

The effects of the molecule on electron capture by protons in hydrogen gas have been investigated in first Born approximation with different types of electronic wave functions. It always has been supposed that if the incident proton velocity is large compared to electronic velocities molecular effects may be neglected, and that one may then assume one ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ molecule is equivalent to two hydrogen atoms for purposes of charge transfer. Instead it appears that charge transfer in ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ at high energies bears no simple relationship to charge transfer in atomic hydrogen. In particular, among other effects: (i) in the high-energy limit $\frac{1}{2}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{M}=1.2\ensuremath{-}1.4{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{A}$; (ii) at lower energies there is important interference between the capture amplitudes from the two atoms in the molecule. It also is found that transitions to ungerade states of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$, although unimportant in the energy range of present experiments, become appreciable at high energies.R (ii) at lower energies there is important interference between the capture amplitudes from the two atoms in the molecule. It also is found that transitions to ungerade states of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$, although unimportant in the energy range of present experiments, become appreciable at high energies.