Scattering theory, multiparticle detection, and time

We consider the theory of multiple-particle fragmentation processes in the light of modern multihit position-sensitive detection. First, we give a formulation of time-independent many-body scattering theory as a direct generalization of standard textbook two-body potential scattering but in such a way as to emphasize position rather than momentum detection. Noteworthy is that classical asymptotic motion of fragments is shown to emerge from this quantum-mechanical time-independent theory and enables the definition of a classical time parameter. This in turn allows a transition to be made to a time-dependent scattering theory, even in the case where all Hamiltonians are time independent. Such a time-dependent description is the basis of the imaging theorem, which connects position detection to momentum detection.