Dynamics of Polyatomic Van der Waals Complexes

This publication is the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) on the Dynamics of Polyatomic Van der Waals Molecules held at the Chateau de Bonas, Castera-Verduzan, France, from August 21 through August 26, 1989. Van der Waals complexes provide important model problems for understanding energy transfer and dissipation. These processes can be described in great detail for Van der Waals complexes, and the insight gained from such studies can be applied to more complicated chemical problems that are not amenable to detailed study. The workshop concentrated on the current questions and future prospects for extend- ing our highly detailed knowledge of triatomic Van der Waals molecule dynamics to polyatomic molecules and clusters (one molecule surrounded by several, or up to sev- eral tens of, atoms). Both experimental and theoretical studies were discussed, with particular emphasis on the dynamical behavior of dissociation as observed in the dis- tributions of quantum states of the dissociation product molecules. The discussion of theoretical approaches covered the range from complete ab initio studies with a rig- orous quantum mechanical treatment of the dynamics to the empirical determination of potential energy surfaces and a classical mechanical treatment of the dynamics. Time independent, time dependent and statistical approaches were considered. The workshop brought together experts from different fields which, we hope, benefited from their mutual interaction around the central theme of the Dynamics of Van der Waals complexes.