Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Dissociative recombination (DR) of electrons with small molecular ions is a fundamental process for the physics and chemistry of the interstellar medium and planetary atmospheres. In previous DR studies, detailed analysis of the experimental rate coefficients has been hindered by the difficulty of preparing the ions in well-defined quantum states. For polyatomic ions in particular, truly state-selective measurements have been elusive, allowing only qualitative benchmarks of theory. Here, we present DR studies of the deuterated triatomic hydrogen ion D2H+, where the molecular ions were stored for up to 1000 seconds inside the Cryogenic Storage Ring (CSR) prior to the DR measurements. Our experiments with rotationally cold D2H+ ions allow for detailed comparison to state-of-the-art theoretical calculations. We obtain very good agreement between experiment and theory even in the important collision energy range from 1 meV to 0.5 eV, where a multitude of Rydberg resonances reveal their imprint on the rate coefficient.
Source: Nature Communications
Institutions: Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble, Université Grenoble Alpes, Purdue University West Lafayette, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Columbia University, University of Central Florida, University College London
Language: English
Topic: Atomic and Molecular Physics
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
Awards: G2817750102, G3608914509, G434337789, ElektronIonRekombination im kryogenen Speicherring CSR, G6866153948, PHYSICS OF CORRELATED SYSTEMS, PHYSICS OF CORRELATED SYSTEMS, Laboratory Measurements of Dissociative Recombination with Cold Molecular Ions for Ground-Based Studies of Diffuse Molecular Clouds
OpenAlex ID: W4413315271