TRANSIENT MULTICENTER ELECTRONIC-STRUCTURE IN DENSE-PLASMAS

We have adapted the multiple-scattered-wave method (used in solid-stat e cluster and molecular electronic structure calculations) to investig ate the possibility that ''transient clusters'' in a dense plasma migh t affect the opacity of the plasma. Based initially on a simple, stati c cluster model in a highly symmetric configuration, we investigated t he change in shape of core-level absorption edges and variations arisi ng from configurational changes. The results we present, for a series of clusters in a dense carbon plasma, show considerable sensitivity to the geometry of the cluster and indicate that the configuration avera ge required in a full calculation for a real plasma will be a formidab le task. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.