Low-energy electron scattering from DNA and RNA bases: shape resonances and radiation damage.

Calculations are carried out to determine elastic-scattering cross sections and resonance energies for low-energy electron impact on uracil and on each of the DNA bases (thymine, cytosine, adenine, and guanine), for isolated molecules in their equilibrium geometry. Our calculations are compared with the available theory and experiment. We also attempt to correlate this information with experimental dissociation patterns through an analysis of the temporary anion structures that are formed by electron capture in shape resonances.