Electron-loss and electron-capture cross sections in  H + H₂⁺ collisions

Authors

• SAED J. AL ATAWNEH, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Isra University, Isra, Jordan; Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Zarqa University, Zarqa, JordanFollow
• OQLAH AL-REFAI, Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Zarqa University, Zarqa, JordanFollow
• MOHAMMED ABU-SEILEEK, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Zarqa University, Zarqa, JordanFollow
• FERAS AFANEH, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, JordanFollow

Abstract

We investigate projectile electron-loss, target electron-loss, and target electron capture in H + H₂⁺ collisions using classical trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) and quantum-corrected classical trajectory Monte Carlo (QCTMC) methods within a fully four-body model. Energy-dependent cross sections are reported for all three channels. For projectile electron-loss, we additionally analyze impact-parameter-dependent probabilities and representative trajectories. The QCTMC method incorporates Heisenberg corrections, improving accuracy at low impact energies. Projectile and target electron-loss cross sections peak at intermediate energies and exhibit good agreement with H + H₂⁺ data at high energies. At low to intermediate energies, projectile electron-loss exceeds target electron-loss because the projectile electron experiences a stronger, unscreened Coulomb perturbation; both channels converge at high energies. Target electron capture displays a sharp low-energy maximum due to transient molecular-state formation, followed by a rapid decrease with energy. While CTMC and QCTMC results agree well at intermediate and high energies, QCTMC enhancements at low energies confirm the critical role of Heisenberg corrections. This study provides the first comprehensive four-body cross-section dataset for H + H₂⁺ collisions-distinguishing all three channels-which has been previously unavailable. These findings are directly relevant to fusion plasma modeling and nonequilibrium hydrogen plasmas.

Author ORCID Identifier

SAED AL ATAWNEH: 0000-0003-1680-9667

OQLAH AL-REFAI: 0000-0002-7617-8863

MOHAMMED ABU-SEILEEK: 0000-0001-5648-3441

FERAS AFANEH: 0000-0002-2605-7545

DOI

10.55730/1300-0101.2945

Keywords

Atom-molecule ions collision, electron-loss, electron capture, classical trajectory Monte Carlo method, quantum-corrected classical trajectory Monte Carlo method

First Page

353

Last Page

366

Publisher

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

AL ATAWNEH, S. J, AL-REFAI, O, ABU-SEILEEK, M, & AFANEH, F (2026). Electron-loss and electron-capture cross sections in  H + H₂⁺ collisions. Turkish Journal of Physics 50 (5): 353-366. https://doi.org/10.55730/1300-0101.2945