Proton Scattering by Molecules. I. The Two-State Oxygen Case and the Multistate Case

The inelastic scattering of protons by oxygen molecules is treated for the collision situation resulting in the excitation of the upper state of the Schumann-Runge system. The incident proton energy ranges from 1 to 50 keV. The total cross sections and the growth coefficient phases for this scattering are computed using the two-state impact-parameter treatment. The distortion of the molecular charge cloud by the incident proton is taken into account in the phase calculation. A method for multistate impact parameter treatment of the inelastic collision is developed, and the equations therefor are derived.