Coupled-state calculations of proton—hydrogen-atom scattering using a scaled hydrogenic basis set

Coupled-state calculations of proton—hydrogen-atom scattering using a scaled hydrogenic basis set have been performed, and the results are reported on in this paper. Thirty-five basis functions, centered about each proton, were included in the expansion of the electron wave function. Cross sections for direct excitation and charge transfer to the $n=1, 2, \mathrm{and} 3$ levels, and for ionization, have been calculated. The results for ionization indicate that charge transfer to the continuum dominates over direct ionization at proton energies below about 60 keV. The charge distribution has been plotted as a function of time at an energy of 40 keV and impact parameter of 1.5 a.u.; the plot illustrates the considerable distortion of the electron cloud caused by the passing proton.