There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality.

Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

I and i

Annals of physics

Recoil-ion and electron momentum spectroscopy is a rapidly developing technique that allows one to measure the vector momenta of several ions and electrons resulting from atomic or molecular fragmentation. In a unique combination, large solid angles close to 4π and superior momentum resolutions around a few per cent of an atomic unit (a.u.) are typically reached in state-of-the art machines, so-called reaction-microscopes. Evolving from recoil-ion and cold target recoil-ion momentum spectroscopy (COLTRIMS), reaction-microscopes—the `bubble chambers of atomic physics'—mark the decisive step forward to investigate many-particle quantum-dynamics occurring when atomic and molecular systems or even surfaces and solids are exposed to time-dependent external electromagnetic fields. This paper concentrates on just these latest technical developments and on at least four new classes of fragmentation experiments that have emerged within about the last five years. First, multi-dimensional images in momentum space brought unprecedented information on the dynamics of single-photon induced fragmentation of fixed-in-space molecules and on their structure. Second, a break-through in the investigation of high-intensity short-pulse laser induced fragmentation of atoms and molecules has been achieved by using reaction-microscopes. Third, for electron and ion-impact, the investigation of two-electron reactions has matured to a state such that the first fully differential cross sections (FDCSs) are reported. Fourth, comprehensive sets of FDCSs for single ionization of atoms by ion-impact, the most basic atomic fragmentation reaction, brought new insight, a couple of surprises and unexpected challenges to theory at keV to GeV collision energies. In addition, a brief summary on the kinematics is provided at the beginning. Finally, the rich future potential of the method is briefly envisaged.

/pdf/recoil-ion-and-electron-momentum-spectroscopy-reaction-c7ai542e3l.pdf

Recoil-ion and electron momentum spectroscopy: reaction-microscopes

▪ Abstract Turbulence affects the structure and motions of nearly all temperature and density regimes in the interstellar gas. This two-part review summarizes the observations, theory, and simulations of interstellar turbulence and their implications for many fields of astrophysics. The first part begins with diagnostics for turbulence that have been applied to the cool interstellar medium and highlights their main results. The energy sources for interstellar turbulence are then summarized along with numerical estimates for their power input. Supernovae and superbubbles dominate the total power, but many other sources spanning a large range of scales, from swing-amplified gravitational instabilities to cosmic ray streaming, all contribute in some way. Turbulence theory is considered in detail, including the basic fluid equations, solenoidal and compressible modes, global inviscid quadratic invariants, scaling arguments for the power spectrum, phenomenological models for the scaling of higher-order structu...

http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/%7Ereipurth/reviews/elmegreen1_araa.pdf

Interstellar Turbulence I: Observations and Processes

Cold Target Recoil Ion Momentum Spectroscopy: a &momentum microscope' to view atomic collision dynamics

Electron-helium scattering in weakly coupled hot-dense (Debye) plasma has been investigated using the convergent close-coupling method. The Yukawa-type Debye-Hueckel potential has been used to describe plasma Coulomb screening effects. Benchmark results are presented for momentum transfer cross sections, excitation, ionization, and total cross sections for scattering from the ground and metastable states of helium. Calculations cover the entire energy range up to 1000 eV for the no screening case and various Debye lengths (5-100 a{sub 0}). We find that as the screening interaction increases, the excitation and total cross sections decrease, while the total ionization cross sections increase.

Electron-helium scattering in Debye plasmas

Three independent nonperturbative calculations are reported for the electron-impact ionization of both the ground and first excited states of the neutral lithium atom. The time-dependent close-coupling, the R matrix with pseudostates, and the converged close-coupling methods yield total integral cross sections that are in very good agreement with each other, while perturbative distorted-wave calculations yield cross sections that are substantially higher. These nonperturbative calculations provide a benchmark for the continued development of electron-atom experimental methods designed to measure both ground and excited state ionization.

Benchmark nonperturbative calculations for the electron-impact ionization of Li(2s) and Li(2p).

A general single-center close-coupling approach based on a continuum-discretization procedure is developed to calculate excitation and ionization processes in ion-atom collisions. The continuous spectrum of the target is discretized using stationary wave packets constructed from the Coulomb wave functions, the eigenstates of the target Hamiltonian. Such continuum discretization allows one to generate pseudostates with arbitrary energies and distribution. These features are ideal for detailed differential ionization studies. The approach starts from the semiclassical three-body Schr\"odinger equation for the scattering wave function and leads to a set of coupled differential equations for the transition probability amplitudes. To demonstrate its utility the method is applied to calculate collisions of antiprotons with atomic hydrogen. A comprehensive set of benchmark results from integrated to fully differential cross sections for antiproton-impact ionization of hydrogen in the energy range from 1 keV to 1 MeV is provided. Contrary to previous predictions, we find that at low incident energies the singly differential cross section has a maximum away from the zero emission energy. This feature could not be seen without a fine discretization of the low-energy part of the continuum.

/pdf/wave-packet-continuum-discretization-approach-to-ion-atom-1hl4ey7xdn.pdf

Wave-packet continuum-discretization approach to ion-atom collisions: Nonrearrangement scattering

We present the convergent close-coupling formulation for positron scattering from noble gases (Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe) within the single-center approximation. Target functions are described in a model of six p-electrons above an inert Hartree-Fock core with only one-electron excitations from the outer p 6 shell allowed. Target states have been obtained using a Sturmian (Laguerre) basis in order to model coupling to ionization and positronium (Ps) formation channels. Such an approach is unable to yield explicit Ps-formation cross sections, but is valid below this threshold and above the ionization threshold. The present calculations are found to show good agreement with recent measurements.

Convergent close-coupling method for positron scattering from noble gases

Angular correlation in the two-electron continuum of the He double photoionization has been studied, both experimentally and theoretically, for equal and unequal energy sharing conditions at the photon energy of 40 eV above the threshold. The triple differential cross sections have been measured in the plane perpendicular to the photon direction using the multi-coincidence detection technique of Reddish et al at the Daresbury Synchrotron Radiation Source. Recent modifications to the bending-magnet beam line allowed an effective cancellation of the circular polarization at the target, leaving a relatively high degree of linear polarization (Stokes parameters: S 3 = S 2 0, S 1 = 0.8). The measured cross sections are compared with the calculations using the 3C method of Maulbetsch and Briggs and the convergent close coupling method of Kheifets and Bray. Good agreement between theory and experiment has been found in most cases, except for the unequal energy sharing when one of the escaping electrons is detected in a direction close to the polarization axis.

/pdf/photodouble-ionization-of-helium-at-an-excess-energy-of-40-9rn39b7di1.pdf

Igor Bray

Papers

Electron-helium scattering in Debye plasmas

Benchmark nonperturbative calculations for the electron-impact ionization of Li(2s) and Li(2p).

Wave-packet continuum-discretization approach to ion-atom collisions: Nonrearrangement scattering

Convergent close-coupling method for positron scattering from noble gases

Photodouble ionization of helium at an excess energy of 40 eV