The capture of an atom from a solid surface by a fast ion via double e
lastic collision (Thomas scattering) is considered. The rigid geometry
of such a process, in which the scattering angles depend only on the
masses of the colliding particles, gives the possibility to use this s
cattering for the determination of adatom location. The conditions for
the experimental observation of Thomas scattering of an ion from a so
lid surface are discussed.