First-order relativistic corrections to the theory of Coulomb excitation

It is suggested that relativistic effects may be significant in high-precision Coulomb-excitation experiments. First-order corrections to the non-relativistic theory of Coulomb excitation are determined with the restriction that all of the states involved in the excitation have the same parity and that the scattering angle is 1800. The results of some numerical calculations are presented to give an indication of the magnitude of the correction. A recent experiment to determine the B(E2; 0+->2+) and excited-state quadrupole moment of 198Hg is reanalyzed and the relativistic correction to the B(E2) is found to be several times the experimental uncertainty. Sizeable effects are also found in multiple Coulomb excitation. (orig.)