Dynamics of clusters and molecules in contact with an environment

We present recent theoretical investigations on the dynamics of metal clusters in contact with an environment, deposited of embedded. This concerns soft deposition as well as irradiation of the deposited/embedded clusters by intense laser pulses. We discuss examples of applications for two typical test cases, Na clusters deposited on MgO(001) surface and Na clusters in/on Ar substrate. Both environments are insulators with sizeable polarizability. They differ in their geometrical and mechanical properties.