A knowledge of atomic theory should be an essential part of every physicist's and chemist's toolkit. This book provides an introduction to the basic ideas that govern our understanding of microscopic matter, and the essential features of atomic structure and spectra are presented in a direct and easily accessible manner. Semi-classical ideas are reviewed and an introduction to the quantum mechanics of one and two electron systems and their interaction with external electromagnetic fields is featured. Multielectron atoms are also introduced, and the key methods for calculating their properties reviewed.

The late Professor Condon and Halis Odabşi collaborate to produce an integrated account of the electron structure of atoms.

For beginners and specialists in other fields: the Nobel Laureate's introduction to atomic spectra and their relationship to atomic structures, stressing basics in a physical, rather than mathematical, treatment. 80 illustrations.

Computational Atomic Structure: An MCHF Approach deals with the field of computational atomic structure, specifically with the multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock (MCHF) approach and the manner in which this approach is used in modern physics. Beginning with an introduction to computational algorithms and procedures for atomic physics, the book describes the theory underlying nonrelativistic atomic structure calculations (making use of Brett-Pauli corrections for relativistic effects) and details how the MCHF atomic structure software package can be used to this end. The book concludes with a treatment of atomic properties, such as energy levels, electron affinities, transition probabilities, specific mass shift, fine structure, hyperfine-structure, and autoionization. This modern, reliable exposition of atomic structure theory proves invaluable to anyone looking to make use of the authors' MCHF atomic structure software package, which is available publicly via the Internet.

Preface to first editionPreface to second edition1. Introduction2. The hydrogen atom- gross structure3. Radiative transitions4. The hydrogen atom- fine structure5. Two-electron system6. The central-field approximation7. Angular problems in many-electron atoms8. Interaction with static external fields9. Hyperfine structure and isotope shiftAppendix A. Some theorems of quantum mechanicsAppendix B. Results of time-independent perturbation theoryAppendix C. Notes on angular momentumAppendix D. Ground states of the elementsAppendix E. UnitsIndex

This book provides a hands-on experience with atomic structure calculations. Material covered includes angular momentum methods, the central field Schrödinger and Dirac equations, Hartree-Fock and Dirac-Hartree-Fock equations, multiplet structure, hyperfine structure, the isotope shift, dipole and multipole transitions, basic many-body perturbation theory, configuration interaction, and correlation corrections to matrix elements. The book also contains numerical methods for solving the Schrödinger and Dirac eigenvalue problems and the (Dirac)-Hartree-Fock equations.

Both the interpretation of atomic spectra and the application of atomic spectroscopy to current problems in astrophysics, laser physics, and thermonuclear plasmas require a thorough knowledge of the Slater-Condon theory of atomic structure and spectra. This book gathers together aspects of the theory that are widely scattered in the literature and augments them to produce a coherent set of closed-form equations suitable both for computer calculations on cases of arbitrary complexity and for hand calculations for very simple cases.