Inelastic Nonreactive Scattering; Three Atoms Interacting via Three Interatomic Potential Energies

Abstract

The pioneering calculations of Shuler and Zwanzig imposed many constraints on three-body scattering. Their computations applied to systems interacting collinearly and having an interaction potential energy such that V = 0 for intermolecular separations greater than some finite value σ and V = ∞ for separations less than or equal to σ. In their studies of atom–diatomic molecule collisions the incident atom was chosen to interact only with the nearest atom of the diatomic molecule. Cheung and Wilson extended the Shuler and Zwanzig procedure in order to study systems interacting via structured interaction potential energies which are represented by a series of finite steps. In the latter work, however, the intermolecular interaction was again chosen to be between nearest atoms. In the present work expressions are generated which represent an incident atom interacting with both atoms of a diatomic molecule. Two interaction potential energies are described. In one case the incident atom acts upon both atoms of the diatomic molecule via a hard-core interaction. For this case, calculations are carried out yielding results which are generally in agreement with the results of Shuler and Zwanzig. In another case the interactions are each represented by a single step. The present discussion may be extended to examine multistep interactions.