and PAD. A direct comparison between experiments and well founded elaborate microscopic theories is thus readily possible, at variance with more demanding observables such as for example fragmentation or dissociation cross sections.

    The purpose of this paper is to describe the theoretical tools developed on the basis of real-time and real-space TDDFT and to address in a realistic manner the analysis of electronic emission following irradiation of clusters and molecules by various laser pulses. After a general introduction, we shall present in a second part the available experimental results motivating such studies, starting from the simplest total ionization signals to the more elaborate PES and PAD, possibly combining them and/or resolving them in time. This experimental discussion will be complemented in a third part by a presentation of available theoretical tools focusing on TDDFT and detailing the methods used to address ionization observables. We shall also discuss the shortcomings of standard versions of TDDFT, especially what concerns the SIC problem, and show how to improve formally and practically the theory on that aspect. A long fourth part will be devoted to representative results. We shall illustrate the use of total ionization in pump and probe scenarios with fs lasers for 