How to make complicated things from simple ones.
mcguire@mcguire.phy.tulane.edu
Tulane University
New Orelans, LA
One of the emerging question of science is how are complex things made
from simple things? Larger is not necessarily more complicated than their
smaller subsystems. In biology, chemistry and materials science the issue
is how to understand large molecules in terms of atoms. In atomic physics
one may strive to understand properties of many electron systems in terms
of single electron properties. The general theme is interdependency of
subsystems, or `correlation'. Electron correlation dynamics is a central
theme of this talk. The dynamics of electron correlation may affect single
electron transitions. However, this effect is sometimes difficult to separate
from other effects. Correlation is usually dominant in multiple electron
transitions for fast collisions since there is not enough time for the
collision partners to interact more than once. This means that multiple
electron transitions in fast collisions provide an unobstructed view of
the dynamics of electron correlation. Examples include double ionization
of helium and other multiple electron transitions in interactions of atoms,
molecules and earthworms in collisions with light and matter.