The authors aim to hone the theory of electron-atom and electron-ion collisions by developing mathematical equations and comparing their results to the wealth of recent experimental data. This first of three parts focuses on potential scattering, and will serve as an introduction to many of the concepts covered in Parts II and III. As these processes occur in so many of the physical sciences, researchers in astrophysics, atmospheric physics, plasma physics, and laser physics will all benefit from the monograph.

An understanding of the collisions between micro particles is of great importance for the number of fields belonging to physics, chemistry, astrophysics, biophysics etc. The present book, a theory for electron-atom and molecule collisions is developed using non-relativistic quantum mechanics in a systematic and lucid manner. The scattering theory is an essential part of the quantum mechanics course of all universities. During the last 30 years, the author has lectured on the topics presented in this book (collisions physics, photon-atom collisions, electron-atom and electron-molecule collisions, "electron-photon delayed coincidence technique", etc.) at many institutions including Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, The University of Western Ontario, Canada, and The Meerut University, India. The present book is the outcome of those lectures and is written to serve as a textbook for post-graduate and pre-PhD students and as a reference book for researchers.

This book is a short outline of the present state of the theory of electron collisions with atomic particles - atoms, molecules and ions. It is addressed to those who by nature of their work need detailed information about the cross sections of various processes of electron collisions with atomic particles: experimentalists working in plasma physics, optics, quantum electronics, atmospheric and space physics, 'etc. Some of the cross sections have been measured. But in many important cases the only source of information is theoretical calcu lation. The numerous theoretical papers dealing with electronic collision processes contain various approximations. The inter relation between them and the level of their accuracy is often diffi cult to understand without a systematic study of the theory of atomic collisions, not to mention that theoretical considerations are necessary for the consistent interpretation of experimental results. The main constituents of the book are: 1. General theory with special emphasis on the topics most impor tant for understanding and discussing electron collisions with atomic particles.

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.

Electron collisions with atoms, ions, and molecules have been investigated since the earliest years of the last century because of their pervasiveness and importance in fields ranging from astrophysics and plasma physics to atmospheric and condensed matter physics. Written in an accessible yet rigorous style, this book introduces the theory of electron-atom scattering in a quantum-relativistic framework.

"The book provides a concise description of the density matrix and statistical tensor formalism and presents a general approach to the description of angular correlation and polarization phenomena. It illustrate an application of the angular momentum technique to a broad variety of atomic processes.".

One of the Top Selling Physics Books according to YBP Library Services Suitable for graduate students, experienced researchers, and experts, this book provides a state-of-the-art review of the non-relativistic theory of high-energy ion-atom collisions. Special attention is paid to four-body interactive dynamics through the most important theoretical methods available to date by critically analyzing their foundation and practical usefulness relative to virtually all the relevant experimental data. Fast ion-atom collisions are of paramount importance in many high-priority branches of science and technology, including accelerator-based physics, the search for new sources of energy, controlled thermonuclear fusion, plasma research, the earth’s environment, space research, particle transport physics, therapy of cancer patients by heavy ions, and more. These interdisciplinary fields are in need of knowledge about many cross sections and collisional rates for the analyzed fast ion-atom collisions, such as single ionization, excitation, charge exchange, and various combinations thereof. These include two-electron transitions, such as double ionization, excitation, or capture, as well as simultaneous electron transfer and ionization or excitation and the like—all of which are analyzed in depth in this book. Quantum Theory of High-Energy Ion-Atom Collisions focuses on multifaceted mechanisms of collisional phenomena with heavy ions and atoms at non-relativistic high energies.

The broad field of molecular collisions is one of considerable current interest, one in which there is a great deal of research activity, both experi mental and theoretical. This is probably because elastic, inelastic, and reactive intermolecular collisions are of central importance in many of the fundamental processes of chemistry and physics. One small area of this field, namely atom-molecule collisions, is now beginning to be "understood" from first principles. Although the more general subject of the collisions of polyatomic molecules is of great im portance and intrinsic interest, it is still too complex from the viewpoint of theoretical understanding. However, for atoms and simple molecules the essential theory is well developed, and computational methods are sufficiently advanced that calculations can now be favorably compared with experimental results. This "coming together" of the subject (and, incidentally, of physicists and chemists !), though still in an early stage, signals that the time is ripe for an appraisal and review of the theoretical basis of atom-molecule collisions. It is especially important for the experimentalist in the field to have a working knowledge of the theory and computational methods required to describe the experimentally observable behavior of the system. By now many of the alternative theoretical approaches and computational procedures have been tested and intercompared. More-or-Iess optimal methods for dealing with each aspect are emerging. In many cases working equations, even schematic algorithms, have been developed, with assumptions and caveats delineated.

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 papers collected in this volume have been presented during a workshop on "Electron-Atom and Molecule Collisions" held at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of the University of Bielefeld in May 1980. This workshop, part of a larger program concerned with the "Properties and Reactions of Isolated Molecules and Atoms," focused on the theory and computational techniques for the quanti tative description of electron scattering phenomena. With the advances which have been made in the accurate quantum mechanical characterisation of bound states of atoms and molecules, the more complicated description of the unbound systems and resonances important in electron collision processes has matured too. As expli cated in detail in the articles of this volume, the theory for the quantitative explanation of elastic and inelastic electron molecule collisions, of photo- and multiple photon ionization and even for electron impact ionization is well developed in a form which lends itself to a complete quantitative ab initio interpretation and pre diction of the observable effects. Many of the experiences gained and the techniques which have evolved over the years in the com putational characterization of bound states have become an essential basis for this development. To be sure, much needs to be done before we have a complete and detailed theoretical understanding of the known collisional processes and of the phenomena and effects, which may still be un covered with the continuing refinement of the experimental tech niques.