Spin-exchange scattering cross sections for hydrogen atoms at low temperatures

Calculations are presented of the low energy (0 < E ≤ 10 −2 eV) spin exchange and frequency shift cross sections for (H,H) scattering, and of their thermal averages for 0 < T < 10 K. In particular, the behaviour of the cross sections in this low energy limit and the role of resonances due to orbiting collisions is studied in detail. A comparison is made with recent nmr measurements on gaseous atomic hydrogen at liquid helium temperatures. The results of this work suggest further useful experiments at low temperatures.