Electron transfer, ionization, and excitation in atomic collisions

The research being carried out at Penn State by Winter and Alston addresses the fundamental processes of electron transfer, ionization, and excitation in ion-atom (and ion-ion) collisions. The focus is on intermediate- and higher-energy collisions, corresponding to proton energies of about 25 kilo-electron-volts (keV) or larger. At intermediate energies, where the transition probabilities are not small, many states must be coupled in a large calculation, while at higher energies, perturbative approaches may be used. Several studies have been carried out in the current three-year period; most of these treat systems with only one or two electrons, so that fewer approximations need be made and the basic collisional mechanisms can be more clearly described