l-changing electron impact cross sections for high Rydberg atoms with application to helium experiments

The impact parameter method is applied to high Rydberg atoms for estimating Δn=0 dipole transition cross sections. Values for high-l states are determined in large part by polarization and relativistic fine-structure contributions to energy levels. Computed cross sections for low-l helium atoms show good agreement with angular momentum transfer cross sections from electron impact experiments over the range 20<n<80.