Classical $n$-body scattering with long-range potentials

We consider the scattering of $n$ classical particles interacting via pair potentials, under the assumption that each pair potential is long-range, i.e. being of order ${cal O}(r^{-alpha})$ for some $alpha >0$. We define and focus on the free region, the set of states leading to well-defined and well-separated final states at infinity. As a first step, we prove the existence of an explicit, global surface of section for the free region. This surface of section is key to proving the smoothness of the map sending a point to its final state and to establishing a forward conjugacy between the $n$-body dynamics and free dynamics.