Classical relativistic trajectory method and application to the K-shell ionisation in U-U collisions

The classical trajectory method of Abrines and Percival (Proc. Phys. Soc.; 88: 861 (1966)) has been extended to relativistic velocities of the charged particles. The method is based on the solution of the classical relativistic Hamiltonian equations of motion for a three-body system consisting of a target nucleus, a charged projectile and a single electron. The electromagnetic fields are taken to be of Lienard-Wiechert type with extended charges of the nuclei. The theory has been applied to calculate the cross section, mean impact parameter and angular distribution for the ionisation of a singly occupied K shell in U-U collisions at Esub(lab) 1 and 10 GeV/n. (author)