The talks focus on the key physics issues, which have surfaced in the exploration of plasma dynamics in the natural universe, in basic laboratory experiments, and in applications. The precision and tools available in atomic physics permit the study of low energy fundamental interactions at very low energies that test the foundations of physics. A central issue in condensed-matter physics is the emergent behavior from interactions among electrons. Manifestations of these interactions have led to the discovery of families of materials displaying these phenomena. This symposium highlights the quest to understand the ultimate structure of matter, from the discovery of the Rutherford atom to the opportunities of the 21st century.
Nature abounds with intriguing patterns formed as a consequence of spontaneous instabilities.
Here, we trace the legacy of those giants who gave structure to our early insight into nonlinear process and assess progress to date. This symposium highlights the recent flourishing of statistical physics and some of the many ways in which condensed-matter physics and materials physics reach out to other areas in the sciences. The talks will focus on the contributions made by researchers toward unraveling the complexities of three interacting particles, using the insights and tools of classical, semiclassical, and quantum mechanics. From pre-20th century instruments, there is a natural progression involving the era of electronics, the role of standardization filled by the National Bureau of Standards, and the impact of computers in laboratories. They have also provided a number of new and perplexing questions, four of which we will explore in this symposium.