Electron and photon collision phenomena in atoms and molecules

是什么机制导致了亚稳态原子的产生或停用，这些原子的发射经常主导着地球上层大气中的“北极光”？当X射线或其他高能辐射进入我们的身体时，释放的电子发生了什么变化？这些电子对我们的DNA有多大的损害？如何使用激光冷却和原子陷阱来获得工业等离子体中的碰撞过程的数据，特别是那些涉及激发态原子的碰撞过程？如何产生硫或氧原子等活性粒子束，并将其用于量化行星大气中发生的过程？像水这样的分子在被电子轰击时会以什么方式分解，当它们这样做时，获得特定碎片的可能性有多大？实验学家和理论家如何才能最好地合作来建立碰撞过程的准确模型？ 这些是我们将在下一次赠款期间寻求答案的一些问题。为了帮助实现这一点，我们计划进行一系列复杂的实验，涉及电子束、激光光子和各种目标。我们将使用最先进的技术，包括激光冷却和捕获原子，独特的亚稳原子探测，以及质量、光学和电子光谱。许多实验旨在为完善当前的理论思想提供准确的数据。将与加拿大和世界各地从事相关工作的其他科学家保持密切合作。 正在考虑的研究领域不仅处于世界研究的前沿，而且这些实验的设计旨在鼓励本科生和研究生的参与。一些人的动机是高科技行业对信息的需求。除了它们的基本重要性外，所获得的数据还将对大气和行星物理、极光、低温等离子体物理、电放电、生物材料的辐射损伤、光子学和聚变能源产生具有重要意义。

What are the mechanisms responsible for producing or de-exciting the metastable atoms whose emissions often dominate the “Northern Lights” in earth’s upper atmosphere? What happens to the electrons which are released when X-rays or other high energy radiation enters our bodies? How damaging are these electrons to our DNA? How can laser cooling and atom traps be used to obtain data about collision processes in industrial plasmas, particularly those involving atoms in excited states? How can beams of reactive particles like sulphur or oxygen atoms be produced and used to quantify processes occurring in planetary atmospheres ? In what ways do molecules like water break up when bombarded with electrons and what are the chances of getting particular fragments when they do? How can experimentalists and theoreticians work together best to establish accurate models of collision processes? These are some of the questions that we will be seeking answers to during the next grant period. To help accomplish this we plan a range of sophisticated experiments involving beams of electrons, laser photons and a variety of targets. We will be using state-of-the-art techniques including laser cooling and trapping of atoms, unique metastable atom detection, and mass, optical and electron spectrometries. Many of the experiments are designed to provide accurate data for refinement of current theoretical ideas. Close collaboration will be maintained with other scientists doing related work in Canada and around the world. Not only are the research areas under consideration at the forefront of world research but the experiments are designed to encourage the involvement of students, both undergraduate and graduate . Some are motivated by demands for information by high-technology industry. In addition to their fundamental importance, the data obtained will have significance for atmospheric and planetary physics, the aurora, low temperature plasma physics, electrical discharges, radiation damage in biological materials, photonics and fusion energy generation.