Studying the dynamics of a large number of particles interacting through long-range forces, commonly referred to as the 'N-body problem', is a central aspect of many different branches of physics. In recent years, significant advances have been made in the development of fast N-body algorithms to deal efficiently with such complex problems. This book is the first to give a thorough introduction to these so-called 'tree methods', setting out the basic principles and giving many practical examples of their use. No prior specialist knowledge is assumed, and the techniques are illustrated throughout with reference to a broad range of applications. The book will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers working on the modelling of systems in astrophysics, plasma physics, nuclear and particle physics, condensed matter physics and materials science.

Studying the dynamics of a large number of particles interacting through long-range forces, commonly referred to as the 'N-body problem', is a central aspect of many different branches of physics. In recent years, significant advances have been made in the development of fast N-body algorithms to deal efficiently with such complex problems. This book is the first to give a thorough introduction to these so-called 'tree methods', setting out the basic principles and giving many practical examples of their use. No prior specialist knowledge is assumed, and the techniques are illustrated throughout with reference to a broad range of applications. The book will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers working on the modelling of systems in astrophysics, plasma physics, nuclear and particle physics, condensed matter physics and materials science.

This book represents the first comprehensive treatment of the subject, covering the theoretical principles, present experimental status and important applications of short-pulse laser-matter interactions.Femtosecond lasers have undergone dramatic technological advances over the last fifteen years, generating a whole host of new research activities under the theme of “ultrafast science”. The focused light from these devices is so intense that ordinary matter is torn apart within a few laser cycles. This book takes a close-up look at the exotic physical phenomena which arise as a result of this new form of “light-matter” interaction, covering a diverse set of topics including multiphoton ionization, rapid heatwaves, fast particle generation and relativistic self-channeling. These processes are central to a number of exciting new applications in other fields, such as microholography, optical particle accelerators and photonuclear physics.Repository for numerical models described in Chapter 6 can be found at http://www.fz-juelich.de/zam/cams/plasma/SPLIM/.Sample Chapter(s)

Studying the dynamics of a large number of particles interacting through long-range forces, commonly referred to as the 'N-body problem', is a central aspect of many different branches of physics. In recent years, significant advances have been made in the development of fast N-body algorithms to deal efficiently with such complex problems. This book is the first to give a thorough introduction to these so-called 'tree methods', setting out the basic principles and giving many practical examples of their use. No prior specialist knowledge is assumed, and the techniques are illustrated throughout with reference to a broad range of applications. The book will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers working on the modelling of systems in astrophysics, plasma physics, nuclear and particle physics, condensed matter physics and materials science.

Studying the dynamics of a large number of particles interacting through long-range forces, commonly referred to as the 'N-body problem', is a central aspect of many different branches of physics. In recent years, significant advances have been made in the development of fast N-body algorithms to deal efficiently with such complex problems. This book is the first to give a thorough introduction to these so-called 'tree methods', setting out the basic principles and giving many practical examples of their use. No prior specialist knowledge is assumed, and the techniques are illustrated throughout with reference to a broad range of applications. The book will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers working on the modelling of systems in astrophysics, plasma physics, nuclear and particle physics, condensed matter physics and materials science.

This book represents the first comprehensive treatment of the subject, covering the theoretical principles, present experimental status and important applications of short-pulse laser-matter interactions.Femtosecond lasers have undergone dramatic technological advances over the last fifteen years, generating a whole host of new research activities under the theme of “ultrafast science”. The focused light from these devices is so intense that ordinary matter is torn apart within a few laser cycles. This book takes a close-up look at the exotic physical phenomena which arise as a result of this new form of “light-matter” interaction, covering a diverse set of topics including multiphoton ionization, rapid heatwaves, fast particle generation and relativistic self-channeling. These processes are central to a number of exciting new applications in other fields, such as microholography, optical particle accelerators and photonuclear physics.Repository for numerical models described in Chapter 6 can be found at http://www.fz-juelich.de/zam/cams/plasma/SPLIM/.Sample Chapter(s)