R Matrix Theory Of Atomic Collisions

Commencing with a self-contained overview of atomic collision theory, this monograph presents recent developments of R-matrix theory and its applications to a wide-range of atomic molecular and optical processes. These developments include the electron and photon collisions with atoms, ions and molecules which are required in the analysis of laboratory and astrophysical plasmas, multiphoton processes required in the analysis of superintense laser interactions with atoms and molecules and positron collisions with atoms and molecules required in antimatter studies of scientific and technologial importance. Basic mathematical results and general and widely used R-matrix computer programs are summarized in the appendices.

Commencing with a self-contained overview of atomic collision theory, this monograph presents recent developments of R-matrix theory and its applications to a wide-range of atomic molecular and optical processes. These developments include the electron and photon collisions with atoms, ions and molecules which are required in the analysis of laboratory and astrophysical plasmas, multiphoton processes required in the analysis of superintense laser interactions with atoms and molecules and positron collisions with atoms and molecules required in antimatter studies of scientific and technologial importance. Basic mathematical results and general and widely used R-matrix computer programs are summarized in the appendices.

Computational Atomic Physics deals with computational methods for calculating electron (and positron) scattering from atoms and ions, including elastic scattering, excitation, and ionization processes. Each chapter is divided into abstract, theory, computer program with sample input and output, summary, suggested problems, and references. An MS-DOS diskette is included, which holds 11 programs covering the features of each chapter and therefore contributing to a deeper understanding of the field. Thus the book provides a unique practical application of advanced quantum mechanics.

In recent years, the impact of new experimental techniques (e.g., nuclear physics methods, availability of high-intensity light sources) as well as an increasing demand for atomic collision data in other fields of physics (e.g., plasma physics, astrophysics, laser physics, surface physics, etc.) have stimulated a renewed, strong interest in atomic collision research. Due to the explosive development of the various fields, scientists often even have dif ficulty in keeping up with their own area of research; as a result, the overlap between different fields tends to remain rather limited. Instead of having access to the full knowledge accumulated in other fields, one uses only the small fraction which at the moment seems to be of immediate importance to one's own area of interest. Clearly, many fruitful and stimulating ideas are lost in this way, causing progress to be made much more slowly than it could be. Atomic col lision physics is no exception to this rule. Although it is of basic interest to many other areas, it is mostly regarded merely as a (nonetheless important) tool by which to gain additional information.

Scattering phenomena play an important role in modern physics. Many significant discoveries have been made through collision experiments. Amongst diverse kinds of collision systems, this book sheds light on the collision of an electron with a molecule. The electron-molecule collision provides a basic scattering problem. It is scattering by a nonspherical, multicentered composite particle with its centers having degrees of freedom of motion. The molecule can even disintegrate, Le., dissociate or ionize into fragments, some or all of which may also be molecules. Although it is a difficult problem, the recent theoretical, experimental, and computational progress has been so significant as to warrant publication of a book that specializes in this field. The progress owes partly to technical develop ments in measurements and computations. No less important has been the great and continuing stimulus from such fields of application as astrophysics, the physics of the earth's upper atmosphere, laser physics, radiation physics, the physics of gas discharges, magnetohydrodynamic power generation, and so on. This book aims at introducing the reader to the problem of electron molecule collisions, elucidating the physics behind the phenomena, and review ing, to some extent, up-to-date important results. This book should be appropri ate for graduate reading in physics and chemistry. We also believe that investi gators in atomic and molecular physics will benefit much from this book.

This book covers polarization, alignment, and orientation effects in atomic collisions induced by electron, heavy particle, or photon impact. The first part of the book presents introductory chapters on light and particle polarization, experimental and computational methods, and the density matrix and state multipole formalism. Examples and exercises are included. The second part of the book deals with case studies of electron impact and heavy particle excitation, electron transfer, impact ionization, and autoionization. A separate chapter on photo-induced processes by new-generation light sources has been added. The last chapter discusses related topics and applications. Part III includes examples of charge clouds and introductory summaries of selected seminal papers of tutorial value from the early history of the field (1925 – 1975). The book is a significant update to the previous (first) edition, particularly in experimental and computational methods, the inclusion of key results obtained during the past 15 years, and the extended coverage of photo-induced processes. It is intended as an introductory text for both experimental and theoretical students and researchers. It can be used as a textbook for graduate courses, as a primary source for special topics and seminar courses, and as a standard reference. The book is accompanied by electronically available copies of the full text of the key papers in Part III, as well as animations of theoretically predicted electron charge clouds and currents for some of the cases discussed in Part II.

Computational Atomic Physics deals with computational methods for calculating electron (and positron) scattering from atoms and ions, including elastic scattering, excitation, and ionization processes. Each chapter is divided into abstract, theory, computer program with sample input and output, summary, suggested problems, and references. An MS-DOS diskette is included, which holds 11 programs covering the features of each chapter and therefore contributing to a deeper understanding of the field. Thus the book provides a unique practical application of advanced quantum mechanics.

The theory of atom-molecule collisions is one of the basic fields in chemi cal physics. Its most challenging part - the dynamics of chemical reactions - is as yet unresolved, but is developing very quickly. It is here a great help to have an analysis of those parts of collision theory which are already complete, a good example being the theory of atomic collisions in process es specific to chemical physics. It has long been observed that many notions of this theory can also be applied successfully to reactive and unreactive molecular collisions. More over, atomic collisions often represent a touchstone in testing approaches proposed for the solution of more complicated problems. Research on the theory of slow atomic collisions carried out at the Moscow Institute of Chemical Physics has been based on just these ideas. A general viewpoint concerning the setting up and representation of the theory came out of these studies, and appeared to be useful in studying complicated systems as well. It underlies the representation of the theory of slow atomic colli sions in this book.