THE DYNAMICS OF ADSORPTION AND DESORPTION

Molecular dynamics simulations, in concert with experiments, have grea tly enhanced our understanding of the elementary dynamical processes o f adsorption and desorption at solid surfaces. The observations of ano malously large desorption prefactors, of deviations from integer-order kinetics, df non-thermal energies of desorbing molecules, of deviatio ns from ''normal energy scaling'', and of the contributions of interna l energy to adsorption all are consequences of the multidimensional na ture of gas-surface interactions. These behaviors are revealed clearly through the multidimensional picture afforded by molecular dynamics s imulations. This paper highlights some of the issues and their resolut ion, with some personal perspectives.