Reactions of anions with neutral molecules at low temperatures

The role of negative ions—anions—in interstellar space has been debated for many years. However, anions were only detected in interstellar gas clouds in 2006. They are also found in the gaseous tails of comets and planetary atmospheres. Now their reactions are being studied to explain astrochemical processes.

The proposed work aims to study the reactions of anions with neutral molecules and determine their rate coefficients as a function of temperature. With the equipment available in our laboratory, it is possible to study the reactions of selected anions with neutral atoms and molecules in the temperature range of 10 – 300 K. Simple anions consisting of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms will be selected for the study. Their reactions with neutral molecules present in interstellar space such as H2, HD, CO and the formation of larger molecular ions will be investigated.

Low-temperature ion trap apparatus and laser absorption spectroscopy will be used for the study. The necessary experimental equipment in our laboratory is fully operational.

Literature: [1] Smith I.W.M., Low temperatures and cold molecules, World Scientific Publishing, 2008, ISBN 978–1–84816–209–9. [2] Millar T. J., C. Walsh, and T. A. Field. “Negative Ions in Space.” Chemical Reviews 117, no. 3 (2017) 1765–95. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00480 [3] P.K. Ghosh, Ion Traps, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1995. [4] Atkins P.W., Physical Chemistry, Oxford University Press, 2002, ISBN 0–19–879285–9. [5] Massey H.S.W., Negative Ions, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1974. Other papers will be recommended by the supervisor