Relativistic atomic collisions

Relativistic Atomic Collisions is the first comprehensive treatise of relativistic atomic collision physics. Written by world-renowned experts in the field, the book covers both the theoretical and experimentalaspects of the subject. Part I of the book provides coverage of relativistic electron theory and of the relativistic treatment of collisions. This section, while providing fundamental information not featured in the standard texts, will be of particularinterest to advanced graduate students in courses on relativity, relativistic collisions, and atomic collisions. The second and third sections of the book will hold specific appeal to professional scientists. Part II presents a comprehensive review of the theory of relativistic collision physics. Part III covers the experimental methods in the field and contains very useful practical information in the form of formulas, graphs, and tables. These two sections make this book essential reading for scientists working on accelerators for relativistic heavy ions. Key Features * Presents a comprehensive introduction into the theory of relativistic collision physics * Provides an explanation of theoretical methods for treating the Dirac equation for a time-dependent two-center system * Includes a review of the basic atomic collision processes * Gives explanations of experimental techniques in relativistic collision physics.

Introduction. Part I: Theoretical Methods. Relativistic Kinematics. Fields of Moving Charges. Relativistic Electron Motion. Ion-Atom Collisions. Part II: Elementary Atomic Processes. Excitation and Ionization. Ionization-Many Electrons. Charge Exchange. Radiative Electron Capture. Electron-Positron Pair Production. Part III: Experimental Methods. Charge-State Preparation. Target Arrangements. Cross Section Determination. Appendix. Bibliography. Index.