Quantum-mechanical scattering of asymmetric molecules. II. Comparison between the systems He--D2 and He--HT

Exact quantum mechanical coupled channel calculations have been performed in order to compare the rotating potential model for heteronuclear molecules with an asymmetric mass distribution, and the usual potential with anisotropy terms for homonuclear molecules. The scattering cross sections of He–D2 and He–HT show no difference in shape, apart from some quenching of the orbiting resonances. There is, however, a significant difference in absolute magnitude, due predominantly to inelastic processes. In the inelastic cross sections, the effect of the shift of the center of mass from the center of interaction in asymmetric molecules counteracts the effect of a change in moment of inertia.