Near-threshold collisional dynamics in the e−e+p system

We study e+-H(n) and Ps(n)-p collisions near the three-body breakup threshold and thresholds for the charge-transfer processes.We show that classical trajectoryMonte Carlo (CTMC) simulations for the three-body breakup agree reasonably well in this energy region with quantum-mechanical convergent close-coupling (CCC) calculations even if the initial hydrogen atom or positronium atom is in the ground state. The threshold behavior of the three-body breakup cross section in e+-H(1s) and Ps(1s)-p collisions agrees with the Wannier law with Klar’s exponent and obeys the classical scaling laws, although some deviation from the Klar-Wannier behavior is observed in the CCC results. Below the threshold the agreement between CTMC and CCC disappears. In particular the CTMC method fails completely for the processes of H formation in Ps(1s)-p collisions and Ps formation in e+-H collisions well below the three-body breakup threshold. For higher initial states the CTMC results below the threshold improve substantially, in accordance with the correspondence principle. This is explained by comparing the quantum-mechanical threshold laws with the classical laws.