On the occurrence of transition states in celestial mechanics.
The transition state is a central concept in the study of chemical reactions. The basic idea is that state space (phase space) can be partitioned into two volumes; the first corresponding to reactants and the second to products. Chemists call the boundary between these two regions the transition state. The rate of a chemical reaction is then discussed in terms the of the flow across the transition state. These ideas can also be applied with good effect to celestial problems. This paper outlines the chemists' view of molecular dynamics and then illustrates its application to problem of transport in celestial mechanics.
Jaffé
Charles
C
Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 2606-6045, USA.
Uzer
T
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