Ionization

"Ionisation" redirects here. For the musical composition, see Ionisation (Varèse).
The solar wind moving through the magnetosphere alters the movements of charged particles in the Earth's thermosphere or exosphere, and the resulting ionization of these particles causes them to emit light of varying colour, thus forming auroras near the polar regions.
The solar wind moving through the magnetosphere alters the movements of charged particles in the Earth's thermosphere or exosphere, and the resulting ionization of these particles causes them to emit light of varying color, thus forming auroras near the polar regions.

Ionization (or ionisation specifically in Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand) is the process by which an atom or a molecule acquires a negative or positive charge by gaining or losing electrons, often in conjunction with other chemical changes. The resulting electrically charged atom or molecule is called an ion. Ionization can result from the loss of an electron after collisions with subatomic particles, collisions with other atoms, molecules, electrons, positrons,[1] protons, antiprotons[2] and ions,[3][4][5][6][7][8][9] or through the interaction with electromagnetic radiation. Heterolytic bond cleavage and heterolytic substitution reactions can result in the formation of ion pairs. Ionization can occur through radioactive decay by the internal conversion process, in which an excited nucleus transfers its energy to one of the inner-shell electrons causing it to be ejected.

  1. ^ Machacek, J.R.; McEachran, R.P.; Stauffer, A.D. (2023). "Positron Collisions". Springer Handbook of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics. Springer Handbooks. Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-73893-8_51. ISBN 978-3-030-73892-1.
  2. ^ Kirchner, Tom; Knudsen, Helge (2011). "Current status of antiproton impact ionization of atoms and molecules: theoretical and experimental perspectives". Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics. 44 (12): 122001. doi:10.1088/0953-4075/44/12/122001.
  3. ^ Brandsen, B.H. (1970). Atomic Collision Theory. Benjamin. ISBN 9780805311808.
  4. ^ Stolterfoht, N; DuBois, R.D.; Rivarola, R.D. (1997). Electron Emission in Heavy Ion-Atom Collisions. Springer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-642-08322-8.
  5. ^ McGuire, J.H. (1997). Electron correlation dynamics in atomic collisions. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521480208.
  6. ^ Eichler, J. (2005). Lectures on Ion-Atom Collisions: From Nonrelativistic to Relativistic Velocities. Elsevier. ISBN 9780444520470.
  7. ^ Bransden, B.H.; McDowell, M.R.C. (1992). Charge Exchange and the Theory of Ion-Atom Collisions. Clarendon Press; Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198520207.
  8. ^ Janev, R.K.; Presnyakov, L.P.; Shevelko, V.P. (1985). Physics of Highly Charged Ions. Springer. ISBN 978-3-642-69197-3.
  9. ^ Schulz, Michael (2019). Ion-Atom Collisions The Few-Body Problem in Dynamic Systems. De Gruyter. doi:10.1515/9783110580297. ISBN 9783110579420.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)