Elastic electron scattering by water molecules

Elastic differential and momentum transfer cross sections are reported for electron scattering by H₂O at impact energies ranging from 4 to 50 eV. The iterative Schwinger variational method in the fixed-nuclei, static-exchange approximation is used to calculate the low partial wave scattering amplitudes and the higher partial wave contributions are included via closure using the Born approximation for a point-dipole. Comparison of our calculated cross sections with recent experimental and other theoretical results is encouraging.