A general expression for the statistical distribution of the probability of the highest event occurring in a record is presented. This result can be empirically applied to situations where records are available for multiple geographical locations. The empirical estimation of the probability of the highest events provides a means to assess whether the assumed (extreme value) distribution is appropriate for extrapolation or not. The approach allows for combining the highest events from different records and to validate estimated return periods in the order of the length of the combined records. The method is illustrated with an analysis of the annual extreme wind speeds over the North Atlantic area according to the ERA40 dataset, showing that the Gumbel distribution is in favor of the GEV distribution to describe the (appropriately transformed) extreme wind speeds up to return periods of 10⁴ years.

The polarization distribution in the sky during a total solar eclipse is calculated with a simple secondary light scattering model. The model can explain various observations during totality, including the measurements by Shaw of the polarization distribution of the sky in the solar vertical during the 1973 total eclipse.

A differential-geometric approach is applied to study the approximation of the Airy integral by a Fresnel integral.

Our previous model for dimer sputtering is extended to the formation of larger clusters. A simple analytical expression is obtained for the energy distribution of any cluster in the high energy limit. Comparison with experimental data on ionic tungsten clusters shows agreement. Indications are found that for the ionic crystal KI sputtering of non-adjacent K and I atoms from the lattice gives an important contribution to dimer formation.

Cross sections for ion formation in C + O₂ collisions have been measured as a function of kinetic energy up to 15 eV. Charge transfer gives rise to C⁺, O₂^-, C⁺, O₂^-, and free electrons. Five processes leading to these products has been identified. Reactive ionisation is taking place according to three processes: C + O₂ -> CO⁺ + O + e^-; CO⁺ + O^-; CO + O⁺ + e^-.

Experiments are described on negative surface ionization of eV halogens, on sputtering from alkalihalide surfaces, on ionization and fragmentation in eV halide-aniline collisions, and on reactive ionization in C-O₂ collisions. A theoretical expression is obtained for the energy distribution of sputtered polyatomic particles.

Velocity selected beams of atoms and molecules are produced by sputtering from alkalihalide surfaces under 6 keV Ar⁺ bombardment. Monoatomic as well as polyatomic particles are found, the latter's fraction decreasing with energy. Above a few eV the energy distribution of a given alkali or halogen atom is independent on the target from which it is sputtered. Some sputtered atoms and molecules seem to be formed in long lived exited states.

A theoretical expression is obtained for the energy distributions of sputtered dimers. The model assumes recombination of neighbouring atoms sputtered according their individual single particle energy distribution functions. A comparison with the experimental results for K₂ and KI sputtered from polycrystalline K and KI surfaces, respectively, shows a good agreement.

Ionisation and fragmentation of aniline, n-propylbenzene, CH₄, C₆H₆, propane and cyclohexane is studied under halogen impact. The results show an analogy with photon impact. They are discussed in terms of potential curve crossing in the halogen-organic molecule system.

Negative surface ionisation of hyperthermal halogen atoms was studied as function of kinetic energy on thoriated tungsten and niobium wires. The transition from a thermal equilibrium process to direct reflection causes the ionisation to increase drastically above thermal energies: efficiencies up to 40% were found for 30 eV Cl atoms impinging on thoriated tungsten.

The optical phenomena in the sky - coronas, rainbows, halos and glories - all have their analogue in particle scattering. Examples are shown of these phenomena in the angular pattern of atom-atom scattering experiments.

An apparatus is build that efficiently generate beams of halogen atoms in the eV range. Potential experiments about electron transfer in atom-molecule collisions are outlined.  The results of an experiment to explore the detection of thermal halogen atoms by means of negative surface ionization are presented.

A survey is given of positive and negative surface ionization. It includes tables, with handwritten updates, of ionization potentials and electron affinities of various atoms and molecules, workfunctions of metals, surface ionization efficiencies, and energies of vaporization of atoms and ions from various metal surfaces.

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