Role of Elastic Projectile-Electron Scattering in Double Ionization of Helium by Fast Proton Impact

We present a systematic study of atomic four-body fragmentation dynamics. To this end we have measured a variety of multiple differential double ionization cross sections for 6 MeV p+He collisions. The data are compared to a first-order calculation with correlated electrons and to a simulation representing a second-order process, with some experimental results seemingly in favor of the first, others in agreement with the second approach. This apparent conflict can be resolved by accounting for elastic scattering between the projectile and one electron already promoted to the continuum through electron-electron correlation in the first-order process