Interdisciplinary Studies of H3+: Reactions with e and H2 in the Laboratory and the Interstellar Medium

该项目代表了化学，物理学和天文学之间接口的跨学科研究计划，以最简单的多原子分子H3+为中心。研究的实验室部分涉及H3+与电子的解离复合和质子交换反应的研究，它们代表了多原子分子解离复合和化学反应的最简单情况。观测部分需要对弥漫星际云样本中的H3+进行光谱测量和分析，这将有助于确定宇宙射线电离率。实验结果也将用于模拟稠密星际介质中H2和H3+的邻位和帕拉形式的相互转化。这项研究，以及相关的活动，可以预期将产生广泛的影响，在加强跨学科的研究，培养本科生和研究生，并整合教学和研究。

This project represents an interdisciplinary program of research at the interface between chemistry, physics, and astronomy centered on the simplest polyatomic molecule, H3+. The laboratory component of the research involves the study of the dissociative recombination of H3+ with electrons and the proton-swapping "reaction, which represent the simplest cases of dissociative recombination and chemical reaction for polyatomic molecules. The observational component entails the spectroscopic measurement and analysis of H3+ in a sample of diffuse interstellar clouds, which will permit the determination of the cosmic-ray ionization rate. The experimental results will also be used to model the interconversion of the ortho and para forms of H2 and H3+ in the dense interstellar medium. This research, and associated activities, can be expected to have a broad impact in terms of enhancing interdisciplinary research, training undergraduate and graduate students, and integrating teaching and research.