Quantum Physics, Physics - General & Miscellaneous, Physics of Light - Optics, Theoretical Physics, Optics - General & Miscellaneous, Mathematics - Applied
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Overview
Critical effects in semiclassical light scattering, in which the standard approximations break down, are associated with forward peaking, rainbows, glories, orbiting, and resonances. Besides giving rise to beautiful optical effects in the atmosphere, critical effects have important applications in many areas of physics. Their interpretation and accurate treatment, however, are difficult. This book deals with the theory of these critical effects. After a preliminary chapter posing the problem of critical effects, the next three chapters on coronae, rainbows, and glories, are written to be accessible to a broader audience of physicists. The main part of the book then describes the results obtained from the application of complex angular momentum techniques to scattering by homogeneous spheres. These techniques lead to practically usable asymptotic approximations, and to new physical insights into critical effects. A new conceptual picture of diffraction, regarded as a tunnelling effect, emerges. The final two chapters contain brief descriptions of applications to a broad range of fields including linear and nonlinear optics, radiative transfer, astronomy, acoustics, seismology, atomic, nuclear, and particle physics. This book intends to convey the basic concepts and physical interpretations that emerge from the new approach, rather than the complete formalism.Synopsis
This book deals with the theory of critical effects in semiclassical scattering, in which the standard approximations break down. Such critical effects are responsible for phenomena such as rainbows and glories.
Editorials
From the Publisher
"I learned a great deal from this remarkably well-written book. The style of writing is lively and stimulating, with a useful bibliography, noting where further information on the subject matter of each chapter may be found. Moreover, it is filled with interesting and relevant quotations from the world's literature....recommended to theoretical physicists desiring an entry into this exciting subject." Christian Brosseau, Optics and Photonics News"For those connoisseurs of the mathematics of scattering, Nussenzveig is a master chef, and his book is a compilation of his mathematical dishes, lovingly and carefully prepared for those with the juices to digest them." Craig F. Bohren, American Journal of Physics
Book Details
Published
April 1, 2006
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Pages
256
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780521025874