Alignment and cross sections of alkali autoionising states for light ion impact: The Na*(2p53s22P1/2, 2P3/2) case

Experimentally, we have determined the absolute cross sections of the autoionising states Na*(2p53s22P1/2, 2P3/2) for H+ impact in the energy range E(H+) = 10-200 keV using two different methods for the conversion of measured relative cross sections to absolute values. Comparison of these values and of experimental values for the alignment of the Na*(2p53s22P3/2) state for H+ and He+ in the projectile energy range 10-300 keV is made with theoretical results for different approximations. In an appendix we estimate the systematic error introduced to the cross section of a state if the alignment of this state is neglected. (orig.)