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Lima, M. A. P.

Publications and source records attributed to Lima, M. A. P..

8 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Studies of electron collisions with polyatomic molecules using distributed-memory parallel computers

Elastic electron scattering cross sections from 5-30 eV are reported for the molecules C2H4, C2H6, C3H8, Si2H6, and GeH4, obtained using an implementation of the Schwinger multichannel method for distributed-memory parallel computer architectures. These results, obtained within the static-exchange approximation, are in generally good agreement with the available experimental data. These calculations demonstrate the potential of highly parallel computation in the study of collisions between low-energy electrons and polyatomic gases. The computational methodology discussed is also directly applicable to the calculation of elastic cross sections at higher levels of approximation (target polarization) and of electronic excitation cross sections.

Winstead, C.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Polarization effects in low-energy e-CH4 collisions

Polarization effects on the cross sections for elastic scattering of electrons by the CH4 molecule, for collision energies from 7.5 down to 0.02 eV, are presently studied on the basis of Takatsuka and McKoy's (1981) Schwinger multichannel formulation. While the closed-channel expansion through which polarization effects are encompassed is not fully converged, the cross sections obtained nevertheless exhibit a Ramsauer-Townsend minimum in the 0.1-0.2 eV range; this is about 0.3 lower than the experimentally obtained value. At 7.5 eV, however, the calculated differential cross-sections are in excellent agreement with measured values.

Lima, M. A. P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Studies of elastic e-NH3 collisions

Differential and momentum-transfer cross sections for the elastic scattering of electrons by NH3 have been obtained for collision energies of between 2.5 and 20 eV using the fixed-nuclei static-exchange approximation of the Schwinger variational principle. At intermediate and large scattering angles, good agreement is found between calculated and relative experimental cross sections. The differential cross sections reveal evidence of a weak d-wave enhancement around 8 eV.

Pritchard, H. P.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Studies of electron-molecule collisions - Applications to e-H2O

Elastic differential and momentum transfer cross sections for the elastic scattering of electrons by H2O are reported for collision energies from 2 to 20 eV. These fixed-nuclei static-exchange cross sections were obtained using the Schwinger variational approach. In these studies the exchange potential is directly evaluated and not approximated by local models. The calculated differential cross sections, obtained with a basis set expansion of the scattering wave function, agree well with available experimental data at intermediate and larger angles. As used here, the results cannot adequately describe the divergent cross sections at small angles. An interesting feature of the calculated cross sections, particularly at 15 and 20 eV, is their significant backward peaking. This peaking occurs in the experimentally inaccessible region beyond a scattering angle of 120 deg. The implication of this feature for the determination of momentum transfer cross sections is described.

Brescansin, L. M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Electron-nitrogen molecular collisions in high-temperature nonequilibrium air

Ab initio calculation of vibrational excitation and deexcitation cross sections of N2 by low energy resonant electron impact have been carried out. The calculation includes initial target state in v = 0-12 and final target state in v = 0-17. The calculated cross sections are found to agree with available experimental data to within reported experimental error. Effect of target rotation has been investigated. Comparison of vibrational excitation cross sections at J = 0, 50, and 150 shows that the major effect of target rotation is to lower the resonance energy. Vibrational excitation and deexcitation rate coefficients are tabulated for electron temperatures of 1100-55,000 K. The present tabulation supercedes an earlier compilation by the Naval Research Laboratory that was derived from experimental data with a factor-of-two error. The tabulated rate coefficients are suited for flowfield modeling of aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles.

Huo, W. M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Cross sections for electron impact excitation of the b 3Sigma(+)u state of H2 - An application of the Schwinger multichannel variational method

In this and the two accompanying letters, the results of calculations of the cross sections for electron impact excitation of the b 3Sigma(+)u state of H2, for collision energies from near threshold to 30 eV, are presented. These results are obtained using a multichannel extension of the Schwinger variational principle at the two-state level. The quantitative agreement between the integral cross sections of these three studies is very good. Inclusion of correlation terms in the scattering wavefunctions, which relax the orthogonality between bound and continuum orbitals, is seen to affect the cross sections substantially. Although a comparison of these calculated cross sections with available experimental data is encouraging, some seious discrepancies exist.

Lima, M. A. P.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Studies of electron-polyatomic-molecule collisions Applications to e-CH4

The first application of the Schwinger multichannel formulation to low-energy electron collisions with a nonlinear polyatomic target is reported. Integral and differential cross sections are obtained for e-CH4 collisions from 3 to 20 eV at the static-plus-exchange interaction level. In these studies, the exchange potential is directly evaluated and not approximated by local models. An interesting feature of the small-angle differential cross section is ascribed to polarization effects and not reproduced at the static-plus-exchange level. These differential cross sections are found to be in reasonable agreement with existing measurements at 7.5 eV and higher energies.

Lima, M. A. P.↗