Rovibronic State-Selected Cross Sections for Reactions between Atmospheric Ions and Oxygen Atoms

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The investigators will measure absolute total cross sections for reactions between state-selected diatomic cations and neutral oxygen atoms, which are of importance to modeling of the ion chemistry in planetary atmospheres. The investigators will use a unique octopole-quadropole photoionization apparatus for state-selected ion-molecule reaction studies. The unique feature of this apparatus is the implementation of the high-resolution pulsed field ionization-photoelectron-photoion coincidence technique for state-selection of reactant ions. The high resolution achieved has made possible the rotational state selection of diatomic ions for ion-molecule reaction studies. Reaction rates involving oxygen atoms in the ground state and the metastable state will be examined. The success of this experiment will not only provide relevant cross sections for modeling the ion chemistry of planetary atmospheres, but will also open up a new research area concerning the fundamental study of ion-radical reactions, which represent an important class of reactions occurring in extreme plasma environments, including planetary atmospheres.