Nonadiabatic Transition

Nakamura (molecular science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan and National Chiao Tung U., Hsinchu, Taiwan) explains that nonadiabatic transition is a fundamental mechanism of state and phase changes in various dynamical processes in physics, chemistry, and biology. He sets out the complete solution of the basic problem, which has been formulated for the first time since the field began during the 1930s. He also surveys the history and theoretical work in some related subjects without going into much mathematical detail. He assumes a graduate-level knowledge of chemistry or physics. The 2002 first edition is revised here to incorporate the wider range of possible applications; three new chapters look at nonadiabatic chemical dynamics, controlling chemical dynamics, and the manifestation of molecular functions. Annotation c2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)