This chapter outlines the theory of atomic photoionization, and the dynamics of the photon-atom collision process. Those kinds of electron correlation that are most important in photoionization are emphasized, although many qualitative features can be understood within a central field model. The particle-hole type of electron correlations are discussed, as they are by far the most important for describing the single photoionization of atoms near ionization thresholds. Detailed reviews of atomic photoionization are presented in Refs. [I] and 121. Current activities and interests are well-described in two recent books [3,4
