Supercomputing, Collision Processes, and Applications (Physics of Atoms and Molecules)

Professor Philip G. Burke, CBE, FRS formally retired on 30 September 1998. To recognise this occasion some of his colleagues, friends, and former students decided to hold a conference in his honour and to present this volume as a dedication to his enormous contribution to the theoretical atomic physics community. The conference and this volume of the invited talks reflect very closely those areas with which he has mostly been asso- ated and his influence internationally on the development of atomic physics coupled with a parallel growth in supercomputing. Phil’s wide range of interests include electron-atom/molecule collisions, scattering of photons and electrons by molecules adsorbed on surfaces, collisions involving oriented and chiral molecules, and the development of non-perturbative methods for studying multiphoton processes. His devel- ment of the theory associated with such processes has enabled important advances to be made in our understanding of the associated physics, the interpretation of experimental data, has been invaluable in application to fusion processes, and the study of astrophysical plasmas (observed by both ground- and space-based telescopes). We therefore offer this volume as our token of affection and respect to Philip G. Burke, with the hope that it may also fill a gap in the literature in these important fields.

This book contains 18 scientific papers setting out the latest developments in the scientific disciplines and endeavours to which Professor P. G. Burke has contributed over the last 40 years, prior to his formal retirement in September 1998.
The aim of the volume is to provide an up-to-date survey of the latest developments in many areas of atomic and molecular collision physics and applications and also a number of scientific disciplines where supercomputers play a central role. It will be of use to researchers in various scientific areas and especially to those entering new areas of atomic, molecular and optical physics. The book will form a permanent record celebrating the many contributions by Professor P. G. Burke, CBE, FRS, to the advancement of scientific knowledge.

Booknews

This collection of 18 papers is part of a September 1998 conference held in Belfast. Among the topics are electron-atom resonances, recent progress in electron-atom scattering, benchmark studies in electron-impact excitation of atoms, aspects of an approach to electron scattering by small molecules, and manipulating small molecules with intense laser fields. Other topics are elastic electron collision with chiral and oriented molecules, embedding and r-matrix methods at surfaces, radiation pressure and element diffusion in stellar interiors, and atomic physics of muon-catalyzed fusion. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Fifty Years of Atomic and Molecular Collision Theory....Pages 1-7 Electron-Atom Resonances....Pages 9-14 Recent Progress in Electron-Atom Scattering....Pages 15-31 Benchmark Studies in Electron-Inpact Excitation of Atoms....Pages 33-50 A Model Adiabatic Potential to Study Shapes and Locations of Single Particle Resonances: The Case of Electron-Ozone Scattering....Pages 51-66 Aspects of an AB Initio Approach to Electron Scattering by Small Molecules....Pages 67-76 Atoms in Intense Laser Fields....Pages 77-103 Manipulating Small Molecules with Intense Laser Fields....Pages 105-118 Matrix Methods....Pages 119-136 Elastic Electron Collision with Chiral and Oriented Molecules....Pages 137-153 Positron Scattering by Atoms....Pages 155-170 From Positron to Positronium Scattering....Pages 171-182 Embedding and R-Matrix Methods at Surfaces....Pages 183-195 Negative Ion Resonance of Molecules on Surfaces: From Spectroscopy to Dynamics....Pages 197-211 Bertha — 4-Component Relativistic Molecular Quantum Mechanics....Pages 213-224 JET Applications of Atomic Collisions....Pages 225-247 Radiation Pressure and Element Diffusion in Stellar Interiors....Pages 249-267 Atomic Physics of Muon-Catalyzed Fusion....Pages 269-278 Atomic, Molecular and Optical (AMO) Physics is about photons, electrons and positrons, positive and negative ions, atoms and molecules and their mutual interactions.