The rotating rod model: Opacity, excitation, deflection and angular distribution functions from collinear reaction probabilities

Abstract

A “rotating rod” model for predominantly collinear atom-diatom collisions is presented. In this model it is assumed that the forces acting during the collision align the three atoms. The reaction probability at a given impact parameter is related to the ID reaction probability by subtracting the triatomic rotational and bending energies from the total energy. An additional “sudden” approximation is used to derive a relation of deflection angles to impact parameters, resulting in an expression for angular distributions. Comparison is made with quantal and classical