  The leading-order electron-atom bremsstrahlung is investigated within the
rigorous relativistic approach based on the partial-wave representation of the
Dirac wave functions in the external atomic field. Approximating the atomic
target by an effective local potential, we calculate the double-differential
cross section and the polarization correlations in a wide range of the impact
energies. Connection between the bremsstrahlung at the hard-photon end point of
the spectrum and the continuum-threshold limit of the radiative recombination
is studied. A detailed analysis of the screening effect and the energy
dependence of the polarization correlations is presented, with the main focus
on the high impact energy region.
