Pressure Broadening of Spectral Lines
The Theory of Line Shape in Atmospheric Physics

This is a comprehensive study of the quantum mechanical theory of pressure broadening and its application in atmospheric science.

Peter Joseph Rayer (Author)

9781108488044, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 6 August 2020

647 pages
17.5 x 25 x 4 cm, 1.23 kg

Presenting the quantum mechanical theory of pressure broadening and its application in atmospheric science, this is a unique treatment of the topic and a useful resource for researchers and professionals alike. Rayer proceeds from molecular processes to broad scale atmospheric physics to bring together both sides of the problem of remote sensing. Explanations of the relationship between a series of increasingly general theoretical papers are provided and all key expressions are fully derived to provide a firm understanding of assumptions made as the subject evolved. This book will help the atmospheric physicist to cross into the quantum world and appreciate the more theoretical aspects of line shape and its importance to their own work.

Preface
Part One. Preparing the Way: 1. Introduction
2. Fundamental ideas
3. Molecules at work
Part Two. Broadening Theory: 4. Isolated lines
5. Overlapping lines
6. Liouville formalism
Part Three. Atmospheric Spectra: 7. Line shape theory
8. Absorption by gases
Part Four. The Background: Selection of Material
Appendix 1. State space
Appendix 2. Product space
Appendix 3. Projectors
Appendix 4. Vector operators
Appendix 5. Quantum dynamics
Appendix 6. Scattering theory
Appendix 7. Resolvent methods
Appendix 8. Linear response
Appendix 9. Correlation function
Appendix 10. Complex time
Appendix 11. Absorption
Appendix 12. Multipole moments
Appendix 13. Angular momentum
Appendix 14. The Wigner–Eckart theorem
Appendix 15. Reduced amplitudes
Appendix 16. Units and other matters
Appendix 17. Plasma spectra – pointers
Notes
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Meteorology & climatology [RBP], Chemical physics [PHVQ], Atmospheric physics [PHVJ], Atomic & molecular physics [PHM]