Angular distributions and rotational excitations for electron scattering from ozone molecules

Ab initio quantum scattering calculations are carried out for the O-3 molecule, in its ground electronic state, from which low-energy electrons are scattered in the gas phase. The results of the computations are compared with the existing experimental angular distributions for elastic (rotationally summed) scattering processes and for rotationally inelastic cross sections. The agreement of the present calculations with the available experiments is found to be remarkably good and the corresponding efficiency of rotationally inelastic processes is also discussed and analyzed in terms of the role played by the small permanent dipole moment of this target molecule. [S1050-2947(98)01211-6].