Total cross sections for electron and positron collisions with rubidium in a model-potential approach

The total cross sections for electron and positron collisions with rubidium are calculated in the energy range 15-1000 eV, employing the modified Glauber approximations within the model-potential approach. The total cross sections for positron collision are in better agreement with experimental data, in comparison to those previously calculated in the frozen-core approach. The effect of the core polarization is significant. As in the case of scattering from Na and K, this effect causes the electron and positron cross sections obtained in the model-potential approach to no longer merge with each other at low energies. (author)