Stationary scattering theory, the $N$-body long-range case

Abstract

Within the class of Derezi{\'n}ski-Enss pair-potentials which includes Coulomb potentials and for which asymptotic completeness is known \cite{De}, we show that all entries of the $N$-body quantum scattering matrix have a well-defined meaning at any given non-threshold energy. As a function of the energy parameter the scattering matrix is weakly continuous. This result generalizes a similar one obtained previously by Yafaev for systems of particles interacting by short-range potentials \cite{Ya1}. As for Yafaev's paper we do not make any assumption on the decay of channel eigenstates. The main part of the proof consists in establishing a number of Kato-smoothness bounds needed for justifying a new formula for the scattering matrix. Similarly we construct and show strong continuity of channel wave matrices for all non-threshold energies. Away from a set of measure zero we show that the scattering and channel wave matrices constitute a well-defined `scattering theory', in particular at such energies the scattering matrix is unitary, strongly continuous and characterized by asymptotics of minimum generalized eigenfunctions.