Approximate selection rules for intramultiplet and depolarization cross-sections in atomic collisions

Abstract

The previous analysis of angular-momentum coupling schemes and decoupling approximations in the quantum-mechanical treatment of collisions of atoms having nonzero internal angular momentum is applied to the discussion of observables in bulk experiments. The derived formulae are useful for the description of the rates of change of multipole properties of atoms inLS coupling interacting with a raregas bath. Approximate selection rules for cross-sections of processes such as intramultiplet mixing and collisional de-orientation or depolarization are related to the approximate conservation of specific quantum numbers.