It is proposed to perform detailed comparisons between theory and experiment for electron scattering from alkali atoms. The first phase of the research involves construction of a careful and complete description of the sodium atom, which will then be used to study electron-sodium scattering as a function of energy, angle, electron spin, atom alignment and orientation. The second phase will involve an extension to heavier atoms, particularly cesium, which is of concern for parity violation experiments. The theoretical approach will utilize the R-matrix package of scattering programs, adding a semi-empirical polarization potential to simulate the effect of core electrons on valence and scattered electrons, not summing magnetic quantum numbers, including relativistic effects.
