Atomic interactions in retrospect

APR 01, 1966

Study of collisions among electrons, ions and atoms has turned into a spectroscopy as investigators use greater energy ranges, finer resolution and more versatile theory. Among topics of current interest are ionic excitations, fine structure in ion‐atom scattering and the role of excited particles in collisions.

DOI: 10.1063/1.3048181

J. William McGowan

Felix T. Smith

THE LEADING ROLE OF atomic‐interaction physics in the development of modern physics was enshrined during the first four decades of this century. Since then, though, the energy range available for study has spread by a factor of a million in both directions, from cryophysics to BeV accelerators. Since the middle fifties the pressure of new activity in atomic collisions has increased as if the shock front originally generated by atomic physics were reflected inward from yet uncharted boundaries. There are many gauges of this increase of activity. One of the most sensitive is the conferences on the physics of electronic and atomic collisions. The next one of the series will be in Leningrad in 1967. The last was in Quebec City last August and was attended by nearly 500 practitioners from all over the world.

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References

1. W. L. Fite, E. Gerjuoy, Science 150, 516 (1965).https://doi.org/SCIEAS
2. S. Borowitz, S. J. Smith, PHYSICS TODAY 15, no. 2, 30 (1962).https://doi.org/PHTOAD
3. J. B. Hasted, Nature 200, 318 (1963).https://doi.org/NATUAS
4. E. Gerjuoy, PHYSICS TODAY 18, no. 5, 24 (1965).https://doi.org/PHTOAD

More about the Authors

J. William McGowan. General Atomic Division, General Dynamics Corp., San Diego.

Felix T. Smith. Stanford Research Institute.