Ionization of long-lived highly excited atoms by collision with molecules. II

A theoretical treatment of the collisional ionization of a highly excited atom with a molecule is improved by use of the exact form factor of the hydrogen atom in highly excited states. The present treatment is still based on the previously proposed mechanism in which the Rydberg electron is ionized by gain of energy from rotational de-excitation of the molecule in a rotationally excited state. Closer comparison of experiment with theory is made for symmetric- as well as asymmetric-top molecules.