Variational approach to excitation of atomic hydrogen atoms by impacts of protons at intermediate velocities

A variational approach to the excitation of atoms by ion impacts at intermediate velocities is re-examined. Contributions from intermediate states of the target continuum, that were ignored in previous applications of this approach, are taken into account. With this improved variational approach, excitation cross sections of hydrogen atoms by intermediate energy protons are calculated and compared to recent experimental data and to previous theoretical cross sections. The influence of the intermediate target continuum is found to be very weak. In addition, the present approach is shown to apply as long as the capture process is negligible.