Electron Capture by Protons Passing through Molecular Hydrogen

Abstract

The cross section for the process p+H2=H+H2+ is calculated from low to moderate energies using the impact-parameter formulation with a two-state approximation. The experimentally measured cross section in this energy range shows a rise and fall with increasing energy of the incident proton; our theoretical calculation reproduces the same behavior with the maximum position slightly shifted towards the lower energy.