Muonic-atom scattering from hydrogenic liquids in an incoherent approach

TL;DR

This paper calculates low-energy muonic hydrogen atom scattering cross sections in liquid hydrogenic targets using an incoherent approximation, revealing significant differences from gaseous scattering at energies below 10 meV.

Contribution

It introduces a model for liquid hydrogenic targets and applies the Van Hove response function to compute scattering cross sections, highlighting differences from gas-phase scattering.

Findings

Cross sections differ significantly below 10 meV compared to gases

A simple liquid model effectively describes diffusive and vibrational modes

Incoherent approximation captures key scattering features in liquids

Abstract

The differential cross sections for low-energy muonic hydrogen atom scattering in liquid hydrogenic targets have been calculated in the incoherent approximation using the Van Hove response function. A simple model of liquids and the available experimental parameters have been employed for a description of the diffusive and vibrational modes in these targets. At collision energies below about 10 meV, the obtained cross sections are very different from the analogous cross sections for scattering in hydrogenic gases.