Atoms in Unusual Situations, 1986 NATO Science Series B: Series, Vol. 143

Atomic Physics is certainly the oldest field in which Quantum Mechanics has been used and has provided the most significant proofs of this new theory. Most of the basic concepts, except those more recently developed in field quantization, have been understood for quite a time. Atomic Physics began to serve as a basis for other fields such as molecu­ lar, solid state or nuclear physics. A renewal of interest in Atomic Physics began in the sixties, after the discovery of Quantum Electro­ dynamics, and later when it provided some basic tests of fundamental questions like parity violation, time reversal or Dirac theory. More recently the development of new technologies led to the ex­ ploration of very extreme cases in which the most secrete aspects of atoms have been observed. - Rydberg states where the atoms are so big that they can be described by classical theories; - Heavy or super-heavy ions or exotic atoms where unknown QED or relativistic effects can be observed (very heavy hydrogenlike or helium­ like ions, positron production in very violent collisions ??. ); - Huge external perturbations as those appearing in super-dense plasmas or ultra-high fields. The aim of this school was to gather atomic physicists from all over the world working in all these areas of Atomic Physics.

Introductory lectures.- Production of the heaviest elements 107 to 109, limitations and prospects to go beyond.- Atomic Physics through Astrophysics.- Study of isotopes far from the stability line.- I: Rydberg atoms.- An introduction to Rydberg atoms.- Rydberg atoms radiating in free-space or in cavities: new systems to test electrodynamics and quantum optics at an unusual scale.- The structure of Rydberg atoms in strong static fields.- II: Atoms or ions in dense plasmas or strong fields.- Atoms in dense plasmas.- Atoms and ions in very high fields.- Atomic processes in high intensity, high frequency laser fields.- Multiple ionisation of atoms in intense laser fields.- III: QED and relativity in elementary systems or highly stripped very heavy ions.- QED and relativity in Atomic Physics.- Relativistic and QED calculations for many-electron and few-electron atoms.- Summary of a poster session.- Superheavy atoms - Electrons in strong fields.- Exotic phenomena in collisions of very heavy atoms.- On low energy experiments in QED for detecting effects specifically due to vacuum polarization.- IV: Many electron systems.- State of an atomic electron pair.- Non relativistic many-body perturbation theory.- Many body QED.- Participants.