  The strong-field laser physics enterprise is investing important resources in
the study of the effects of oscillatory electric fields on matter using the
tunneling concept, whereas laser fields are vector fields that do not support
the tunneling model. Oscillatory electric fields and propagating plane-wave
laser fields are different electrodynamic phenomena, and similarities in their
effects diminish as field intensity increases. Major differences are known in
the case of very low frequencies where oscillatory electric fields act
adiabatically as the frequency declines, in contrast to extreme relativistic
effects of strong laser fields. Many supposed new phenomena, such as ATI
(Above-Threshold Ionization), channel closing, and stabilization were studied
in terms of propagating fields before they came to the attention of the atomic
physics community. This illustrates the efficiency of using proper
electrodynamic methods for the treatment of laser effects. Problems arising
from the conflation of the effects of oscillatory electric fields and
propagating fields are exacerbated by using ill-defined nomenclature, such as
KFR and SFA, that has been used indiscriminately to apply both to oscillatory
electric fields and to propagating fields. Research resources can be applied
with much-improved efficiency if proper electrodynamic treatment of laser
fields is employed.
