Electron capture from H(2s) by H⁺at low energies

Abstract

Total cross sections for resonant electron capture by protons from metastable H(2s) targets have been computed in a six-state molecular close-coupling formalism. Transitions between degenerate sublevels of the L shell of the target occurring at large internuclear distances, before the exchange reaction, have been taken into account in the impact parameter approximation, expanding the system wavefunction on a basis set of atomic functions. Cross sections are presented for impact velocities between 0.05 and 0.3 au. The results are compared with theoretical calculations for capture from H(2s) by Li3+, c6+ and N7+.