Featuring the work of an international group of scholars, this volume covers the transport properties and Soliton models of Polyacetylene, development and application of the theory of Brownian Motion, the fading of memory during the regression of structural fluctuations, the breakdown of the Kramers Theory as a problem of correct modeling, and more.

The Advances in Chemical Physics series provides the chemical physics and physical chemistry fields with a forum for critical, authoritative evaluations of advances in every area of the discipline. Filled with cutting-edge research reported in a cohesive manner not found elsewhere in the literature, each volume of the Advances in Chemical Physics series serves as the perfect supplement to any advanced graduate class devoted to the study of chemical physics.

High voltage engineering is extremely important for the reliable design, safe manufacture and operation of electric devices, equipment and electric power systems. The 21st International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering, organized by the 90 years old Budapest School of High Voltage Engineering, provides an excellent forum to present results, advances and discussions among engineers, researchers and scientists, and share ideas, knowledge and expertise on high voltage engineering. The proceedings of the conference presents the state of the art technology of the field. The content is simultaneously aiming to help practicing engineers to be able to implement based on the papers and researchers to link and further develop ideas.

The Advances in Chemical Physics series provides the chemical physics and physical chemistry fields with a forum for critical, authoritative evaluations of advances in every area of the discipline. Filled with cutting-edge research reported in a cohesive manner not found elsewhere in the literature, each volume of the Advances in Chemical Physics series serves as the perfect supplement to any advanced graduate class devoted to the study of chemical physics.

The International Symposium on Dynamics of Ordering Processes in Condensed Matter was held at the Kansai Seminar House, Kyoto, for four days, from 27 to 30 August 1987, under the auspices of the Physical Soci ety of Japan. The symposium was financially supported by the four orga nizations and 45 companies listed on other pages in this volume. We are very grateful to all of them and particularly to the greatest sponsor, the Commemorative Association for the Japan World Exposition 1970. A total Df 22 invited lectures and 48 poster presentations were given and 110 participants attended from seven nations. An objective of the Symposium was to review and extend our present understanding of the dynamics of ordering processes in condensed matters, (for example, alloys, polymers and fluids), that are brought to an un stable state by sudden change of such external parameters as temperature and pressure. A second objective, no less important, was to identify new fields of science that might be investigated by similar, but sometimes more sophisticated, concepts and tactics. An emphasis was laid on those universal aspects of the laws governing the ordering processes which transcended the detailed differences among the substances used. The 71 lectures reproduced in this volume bear witness to the success of the Symposium in meeting amply the first objective and, to a lesser extent, the second.

The book is in five parts: Part I introduces the physical and chemical structure of polymers and their breakdown; Part II reviews electrical degradation in polymers, and Part III reviews conduction and deterministic breakdown in solids. Part IV discusses the stochastic nature of break-down from empirical and modelling viewpoints, and Part V indicates practical implications and strategies for engineers. Much of the discussion applies to non-crystalline materials generally.

Featuring the work of an international group of scholars, this volume covers the transport properties and Soliton models of Polyacetylene, development and application of the theory of Brownian Motion, the fading of memory during the regression of structural fluctuations, the breakdown of the Kramers Theory as a problem of correct modeling, and more.