Transition state theory without time-reversal symmetry: chaotic ionization of the hydrogen atom
We present the first application of transition state theory to a system that evolves from an initial to a final state without time-reversal symmetry. The problem studied is the chaotic ionization of a hydrogen atom in crossed electric and magnetic fields. The stable manifolds of the transition state reveal a fractal tiling which connects the geometrical properties of the tiling to the ionization rate, leading to a theoretical explanation for the computational and experimental observation of "prompt" and "delayed" electrons in this problem.
Jaffe
C
Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6045, USA.
Farrelly
D
Uzer
T