Boris M. Smirnov – författare

This book describes selected problems in contemporary spectroscopy in the context of quantum mechanics and statistical physics. It focuses on elementary radiative processes involving atomic particles (atoms, molecules, ions), which include radiative transitions between discrete atomic states, the photoionization of atoms, photorecombination of electrons and ions, bremsstrahlung, photodissociation of molecules, and photoattachment of electrons to atoms. In addition to these processes, the transport of resonant radiation in atomic gases and propagation of infrared radiation in molecular gases are also considered.

The book subsequently addresses applied problems such as optical pumping, cooling of gases via laser resonance radiation, light-induced drift of gas atoms, photoresonant plasma, reflection of radio waves from the ionosphere, and detection of submillimeter radiation using Rydberg atoms. Lastly, topical examples in atmospheric and climate change science are presented, such as lightning channel glowing, emission of the solar photosphere, and the greenhouse phenomenon in the atmospheres of the Earth and Venus.

Along with researchers, both graduate and undergraduate students in atomic, molecular and atmospheric physics will find this book a useful and timely guide.

This book covers the role of water in global atmospheric phenomena, focussing on the physical processes involving water molecules and water microparticles. It presents the reader with a detailed look at some of the most important types of global atmospheric phenomena involving water, such as water circulation, atmospheric electricity and the greenhouse effect. Beginning with the cycle of water evaporation and condensation, and the important roles played by the nucleation and growth processes of water microdroplets, the book discusses atmospheric electricity as a secondary phenomenon of water circulation in the atmosphere, comprising a chain of processes involving water molecules and water microdroplets. Finally, the book discusses aspects of the molecular spectroscopy of greenhouse atmospheric components, showing how water molecules and water microdroplets give the main contribution to atmospheric emission in the infrared spectrum range. Featuring numerous didactic schematicsand appendices detailing all necessary unit conversion factors, this book is useful to both active researchers and doctoral students working in the fields of atmospheric physics, climate science and molecular spectroscopy.

Various nanoclusters and microparticles are considered in excited and ionized gases, as well as various processes with their participation. The concepts of these processes were developed 50 - 100 years ago mostly for dense media, and basing on these concepts, we analyze these processes in gases in two opposite regimes, so that in the kinetic regime surrounding atoms of a buffer gas do not partake in processesinvolving small particles, and the diffusion regime corresponds to a dense gas where interaction of small particles with a buffer gas subjects to laws of hydrodynamics. For calculation or estimation of the rates of these processes, we are based on the liquid drop model for small particles which was introduced in physics by N. Bohr about 80 years ago for the analysis of properties of atomic nuclei including the nuclear fusion and the hard sphere model (or the model of billiard balls) which was used by J. C. Maxwell 150 years ago and helped to create the kinetic theory of gases.

These models along with the analysis of their accuracy allow one to study various processes, such as transport processes in gases involving small particles, charging of small particles in gases, chemical processes, atom attachment and quenching of excited atomic particles on the surface of a small particle, nucleation processes for small particles including coagulation, coalescence and growth of fractal aggregates, chain aggregates, fractal fibres and aerogels. Each analysis is finished by analytic formulas or simple models which allow us to calculate the rate of a certain real process with a known accuracy or to estimate this, and criteria of validity are given for these expressions obtained. Examples of real objects and processes involving small particles are analyzed.

This book sets out to give a rigorous mathematical description of the greenhouse effect through the theory of infrared atmospheric emission. In contrast to traditional climatological analysis, this approach eschews empirical relations in favour of a strict thermodynamical derivation, based on data from NASA and from the HITRAN spectroscopy database. The results highlight new aspects of the role of clouds in the greenhouse effect.

This book sets out to give a rigorous mathematical description of the greenhouse effect through the theory of infrared atmospheric emission. In contrast to traditional climatological analysis, this approach eschews empirical relations in favour of a strict thermodynamical derivation, based on data from NASA and from the HITRAN spectroscopy database. The results highlight new aspects of the role of clouds in the greenhouse effect.

This book presents the theory of gas discharge plasmas in a didactical way. It explains the processes in gas discharge plasmas. A gas discharge plasma is an ionized gas which is supported by an external electric field. Therefore its parameters are determined by processes in it. The properties of a gas discharge plasma depend on its gas component, types of external fields, their geometry and regimes of gas discharge. Fundamentals of a gas discharge plasma include elementary, radiative and transport processes which are included in its kinetics influence. They are represented in this book together with the analysis of simple gas discharges. These general principles are applied to stationary gas discharge plasmas of helium and argon. The analysis of such plasmas under certain conditions is theoretically determined by numerical plasma parameters for given regimes and conditions.

This book investigates elementary processes in the Earth’s atmosphere involving photons, electrons, ions, radicals, and aerosols. It is based on global atmospheric models such as the standard atmospheric model with averaged atmospheric parameters across the globe and over time, the Earth’s energetic balance, and the global electric circuit that allows to analyze fundamental atmospheric properties to be analyzed. Rate constants of elementary processes in the Earth’s atmosphere, together with measured atmospheric parameters and existing concepts of atmospheric phenomena, are used in the analysis of global and local atmospheric processes. Atmospheric photoprocesses result from the interaction of solar radiation with the atmosphere and processes involving ions, oxygen atoms, excited atomic particles and ozone molecules. Atmospheric electricity as a secondary phenomenon to atmospheric water circulation results in a chain of processes that begins with collisions of water aerosols in different aggregate states. Cosmic rays are of importance for atmospheric electricity, as they create positive and negative ions in the air. Air breakdown in an electric field of clouds in the form of lightning may develop under the influence of cosmic ray-created seed electrons, which are necessary for electron multiplication in ionization wave-streamers. The upper atmosphere (ionosphere) is formed under solar radiation in a vacuum ultraviolet spectrum, and absorption of this radiation leads to air photoionization. The greenhouse effect is determined by atmospheric water, whereas transitions between a water vapor and aerosols may lead to a change in atmospheric optical depth. Carbon dioxide contributes in small portions to the atmospheric greenhouse effect. Cosmic rays are of importance for atmospheric discharge, the origin of lightning and cloud formation in the first stage ofaerosol growth. This book provides a qualitative description of atmospheric properties and phenomena based on elementary processes and simple models.