Classical trajectories

If there are n. quanta in mode and zero quanta in all the other modes, the state is called an overtone of the nonnal mode . What does such a state correspond to in tenns of a classical trajectory Consider the overtone of the antisynnnetric stretch, again neglecting the bend. If all the energy in the overtone were in mode , the trajectory would look like the anliamionic mode itself in figure Al.2.6. However, because of the unavoidable... 

Figure Al.6.27. Equipotential contour plots of (a) the excited- and (b), (c) ground-state potential energy surfaces. (Here a hamionic excited state is used because that is the way the first calculations were perfomied.) (a) The classical trajectory that originates from rest on the ground-state surface makes a vertical transition to the excited state, and subsequently undergoes Lissajous motion, which is shown superimposed, (b) Assuming a vertical transition down at time (position and momentum conserved) the trajectory continues to evolve on the ground-state surface and exits from chaimel 1. (c) If the transition down is at time 2 the classical trajectory exits from chaimel 2 (reprinted from [52]).

Figure Al.6.28. Magnitude of the excited-state wavefimction for a pulse sequence of two Gaussians with time delay of 610 a.u. = 15 fs. (a) (= 200 a.u., (b) ( = 400 a.u., (c) (= 600 a.u. Note the close correspondence with the results obtained for the classical trajectory (figure Al. 6.27(a) and (b)). Magnitude of the ground-state wavefimction for the same pulse sequence, at (a) (= 0, (b) (= 800 a.u., (c) (= 1000 a.u. Note the close correspondence with the classical trajectory of figure Al.6.27(c)). Although some of the amplitude remains in the bound region, that which does exit does so exclusively from chaimel 1 (reprinted from [52]).

At the time the experiments were perfomied (1984), this discrepancy between theory and experiment was attributed to quantum mechanical resonances drat led to enhanced reaction probability in the FlF(u = 3) chaimel for high impact parameter collisions. Flowever, since 1984, several new potential energy surfaces using a combination of ab initio calculations and empirical corrections were developed in which the bend potential near the barrier was found to be very flat or even non-collinear [49, M], in contrast to the Muckennan V surface. In 1988, Sato [ ] showed that classical trajectory calculations on a surface with a bent transition-state geometry produced angular distributions in which the FIF(u = 3) product was peaked at 0 = 0°, while the FIF(u = 2) product was predominantly scattered into the backward hemisphere (0 > 90°), thereby qualitatively reproducing the most important features in figure A3.7.5. 

It is important to recognize that the time-dependent behaviour of tire correlation fimction during the molecular transient time seen in figure A3.8.2 has an important origin [7, 8]. This behaviour is due to trajectories that recross the transition state and, hence, it can be proven [7] that the classical TST approximation to the rate constant is obtained from A3.8.2 in the t —> 0 limit ... 

To generalize what we have just done to reactive and inelastic scattering, one needs to calculate numerically integrated trajectories for motions in many degrees of freedom. This is most convenient to develop in space-fixed Cartesian coordinates. In this case, the classical equations of motion (Hamilton s equations) are given... 

The obvious defect of classical trajectories is that they do not describe quantum effects. The best known of these effects is tunnelling tln-ough barriers, but there are others, such as effects due to quantization of the reagents and products and there are a variety of interference effects as well. To circumvent this deficiency, one can sometimes use semiclassical approximations such as WKB theory. WKB theory is specifically for motion of a particle in one dimension, but the generalizations of this theory to motion in tliree dimensions are known and will be mentioned at the end of this section. More complete descriptions of WKB theory can be found in many standard texts [1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, 18]. 

Hase W L (ed) 1998 Comparisons of Classical and Quantum Dynamics (Adv. in Classical Trajectory Methods III) (Greenwich, CT JAI Press)... 

Mayne H R 1991 Classical trajectory calculations on gas-phase reactive collisions/of. Rev. Phys. Chem. 10 107-21... 

The first classical trajectory study of iinimoleciilar decomposition and intramolecular motion for realistic anhannonic molecular Hamiltonians was perfonned by Bunker [12,13], Both intrinsic RRKM and non-RRKM dynamics was observed in these studies. Since this pioneering work, there have been numerous additional studies [9,k7,30,M,M, ai d from which two distinct types of intramolecular motion, chaotic and quasiperiodic [14], have been identified. Both are depicted in figure A3,12,7. Chaotic vibrational motion is not regular as predicted by tire nonnal-mode model and, instead, there is energy transfer between the modes. If all the modes of the molecule participate in the chaotic motion and energy flow is sufficiently rapid, an initial microcanonical ensemble is maintained as the molecule dissociates and RRKM behaviour is observed [9], For non-random excitation initial apparent non-RRKM behaviour is observed, but at longer times a microcanonical ensemble of states is fonned and the probability of decomposition becomes that of RRKM theory. 

For some systems qiiasiperiodic (or nearly qiiasiperiodic) motion exists above the unimoleciilar tlireshold, and intrinsic non-RRKM lifetime distributions result. This type of behaviour has been found for Hamiltonians with low uninioleciilar tliresholds, widely separated frequencies and/or disparate masses [12,, ]. Thus, classical trajectory simulations perfomied for realistic Hamiltonians predict that, for some molecules, the uninioleciilar rate constant may be strongly sensitive to the modes excited in the molecule, in agreement with the Slater theory. This property is called mode specificity and is discussed in the next section. 

Apparent non-RRKM behaviour occurs when the molecule is excited non-randomly and there is an initial non-RRKM decomposition before IVR fomis a microcanonical ensemble (see section A3.12.2). Reaction patliways, which have non-competitive RRKM rates, may be promoted in this way. Classical trajectory simulations were used in early studies of apparent non-RRKM dynamics [113.114]. 

W L Hase (ed) 1992 Advances in Classical Trajectory Methods. 1. Intramolecular and Nonlinear Dynamics (London JAI)... 

Wolf R J and Hase W L 1980 Quasiperiodic trajectories for a multidimensional anharmonic classical Hamiltonian excited above the unimolecular threshold J. Chem. Phys. 73 3779-90... 

Shalashilin D V and Thompson D L 1996 Intrinsic non-RRK behavior classical trajectory, statistical theory, and diffusional theory studies of a unimolecular reaction J. Chem. Phys. 105 1833—45... 

Grigoleit U, Lenzer T and Luther K 2000 Temperature dependence of collisional energy transfer in highly excited aromatics studied by classical trajectory calculations Z. Phys. Chem., A/F214 1065-85... 

There are two basic physical phenomena which govern atomic collisions in the keV range. First, repulsive interatomic interactions, described by the laws of classical mechanics, control the scattering and recoiling trajectories. Second, electronic transition probabilities, described by the laws of quantum mechanics, control the ion-surface charge exchange process. 

Classical ion trajectory computer simulations based on the BCA are a series of evaluations of two-body collisions. The parameters involved in each collision are tire type of atoms of the projectile and the target atom, the kinetic energy of the projectile and the impact parameter. The general procedure for implementation of such computer simulations is as follows. All of the parameters involved in tlie calculation are defined the surface structure in tenns of the types of the constituent atoms, their positions in the surface and their themial vibration amplitude the projectile in tenns of the type of ion to be used, the incident beam direction and the initial kinetic energy the detector in tenns of the position, size and detection efficiency the type of potential fiinctions for possible collision pairs. 

The basic assumption here is the existence over the inelastic scattering region of a connnon classical trajectory R(t) for the relative motion under an appropriately averaged central potential y[R(t)]. The interaction V r, / (t)] between A and B may then be considered as time-dependent. The system wavefiinction therefore satisfies... 

This nomially refers to the use of the straight-line trajectory/ (t) = (b +v t ), 0(t) = arctan(b/vt) within the classical path treatment. See Bates [18,19] for examples and fiirtlier discussion. 

The classical counterpart of resonances is periodic orbits [91, 95, 96, 97 and 98]. For example, a purely classical study of the H+H2 collinear potential surface reveals that near the transition state for the H+H2 H2+H reaction there are several trajectories (in R and r) that are periodic. These trajectories are not stable but they nevertheless affect strongly tire quantum dynamics. A study of tlie resonances in H+H2 scattering as well as many other triatomic systems (see, e.g., [99]) reveals that the scattering peaks are closely related to tlie frequencies of the periodic orbits and the resonance wavefiinctions are large in the regions of space where the periodic orbits reside. 

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