Time-dependent molecular theory potential energy surfaces

One example of the use of linear response theory has been that of Hwang et al. in their studies of an reaction in solution. > o In their work, based on the empirical valence bond (EVB) method discussed earlier, they defined their reaction coordinate Q as the electrostatic contribution to the energy gap between the two valence bond states that are coupled together to create the potential energy surface on which the reaction occurs. Thus, the solvent coordinate is zero at the point where both valence states are solvated equivalently (i.e., at the transition state). Hwang et al. studied the time dependence of this coordinate through both molecular dynamics simulations and through a linear response treatment ... 

Chapter 3 treats nuclear motions on the adiabatic potential energy surfaces (PES). One of the most powerful and simplest means to study chemical dynamics is the so-called ab initio molecular dynamics (or the first principle dynamics), in which nuclear motion is described in terms of the Newtonian d3mamics on an ab initio PES. Next, we review some of the representative time-dependent quantum theory for nuclear wavepackets such as the multiconfigurational time-dependent Hartree approach. Then, we show how such nuclear wavepacket d3mamics of femtosecond time scale can be directly observed with pump>-probe photoelectron spectroscopy. 

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