Radiation damage is traditionally modelled using cascade simulations, and the effect of inelastic scattering by electrons, if included, is introduced via a friction term in the equation of motion. We have developed a model in which the molecular dynamics simulation is coupled to a model for the electronic energy, which evolves via the heat diffusion equation. Energy lost by the atoms, due electronic stopping or electron-ion interactions, is input to the electronic system via a source term in the diffusion equation. Energy is fed back to the atomic system from the hot electrons by means of a Langevin thermostat, which depends on the local electronic temperature. Results of the model are presented for 10 keV cascades in Fe.

Models of sexual selection predict that females use ornament size to evaluate male condition. It has also been suggested that ornament asymmetry provides females with accurate information about condition. To test these ideas we experimentally manipulated condition in the stalk-eyed £y, Cyrtodiopsis dalmanni, by varying the amount of food available to developing larvae. Males of this species have greatly exaggerated eyestalk length and females prefer to mate with males with wider eyespans. Our experiments show that male ornaments (eyestalks) display a disproportionate sensitivity to condition compared with the homologous character in females, and to non-sexual traits (wing dimensions). In contrast, in neither sex did asymmetry re£ect condition either in sexual ornaments or in non-sexual traits. We conclude that ornament size is likely to play a far greater role in sexual selection as an indicator of individual condition than does asymmetry.

Classical cascade simulations of radiation damage generally neglect the effect of energy exchange between the lattice and the electrons; however electronic effects increase with increasing radiation energy. Indeed, even for low energy radiation events the electrons contribute to heat transport and increase the cooling rate, particularly in materials with strong electron–ion interactions. We use a method described in an earlier publication to include these effects in a series of 10 keV cascades in Fe, for a range of electron–ion interaction strengths. We find a non-monotonic relationship between the number of residual defects and the strength of the electron–ion interactions and we discuss the mechanisms involved.

Swift heavy ions lose energy primarily by inelastic electronic scattering and, above an energy threshold, electronic losses result in damage to the lattice. Such high energy radiation is beyond the range of validity of traditional cascade simulations, and predictive damage calculations are challenging. We use a novel methodology, which combines molecular dynamics with a consistent treatment of electronic energy transport and redistribution to the lattice, to model how swift heavy ions form damage tracks. We consider a range of material parameters (electron-phonon coupling strength, thermal conductivity and electronic specific heat) and show how these affect the maximum lattice temperature reached and the extent of residual damage. Our analysis also suggests that fission tracks may form in alloys of archaeological interest.