Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “molecules potential energy”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 91 records · Page 5

Raman spectra of gases. XVIII - Internal rotational motions in ethylamine and ethylamine-d2

The Raman spectra of gaseous CH3CH2NH2 and CH3CH2ND2 have been recorded at wavenumbers from 100 to 600. Both ground and excited states of the methyl and amino torsional modes for the gauche conformer have been observed. The overtone of the methyl torsion has also been observed for the gauche conformer. The methyl barriers in the gauche conformers of the CH3CH2NH2 and CH3CH2ND2 molecules were found to be 3.71 + or - 0.05 and 3.59 + or - 0.05 kcal/mole, respectively. The apparent difference in the barrier heights for these two isotopic species is attributed to a difference in the coupling between the methyl and amino torsions in these two molecules. The potential function for internal rotation around the C-N bond in CH3CH2ND2 was determined. The energy difference between the potential energy minima of the gauche and trans conformations is 0.592 kcal/mole with the trans being the more stable.

Durig, J. R.↗

Dielectric Properties of Poly(ethylene oxide) from Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The order, conformations and dynamics of poly(oxyethylene) (POE) melts have been investigated through molecular dynamics simulations. The potential energy functions were determined from detailed ab initio electronic structure calculations of the conformational energies of the model molecules 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME) and diethylether. The x-ray structure factor for POE from simulation will be compared to experiment. In terms of conformation, simulations reveal that chains are extended in the melt relative to isolated chains due to the presence of strong intermolecular O...H interactions, which occur at the expense of intramolecular O...H interactions. Conformational dynamics about the C-C bond were found to be significantly faster than in polymethylene, while conformational dynamics about the C-O bond even faster than the C-C dynamics. The faster local dynamics in POE relative to polymethylene is consistent with C-13 NMR spin-lattice relaxation experiments. Conformational transitions showed significant second-neighbor correlation, as was found for polymethylene. This correlation of transitions with C-C neighbors was found to be reduced relative to C-O neighbors. Dielectric relaxation from simulation will also be compared with experiment.

Smith, Grant D.↗

Theoretical Study of Tautomerization Reactions for the Ground and First Excited Electronic States of Adenine

Geometrical structures and energetic properties for different tautomers of adenine are calculated in this study, using multi-configurational wave functions. Both the ground and the lowest singlet excited state potential energy surfaces are studied. Four tautomeric forms are considered, and their energetic order is found to be different on the ground and the excited state potential energy surfaces. Minimum energy reaction paths are obtained for hydrogen atom transfer (tautomerization) reactions in the ground and the lowest excited electronic states. It is found that the barrier heights and the shapes of the reaction paths are different for the ground and the excited electronic states, suggesting that the probability of such tautomerization reaction is higher on the excited state potential energy surface. This tautomerization process should become possible in the presence of water or other polar solvent molecules and should play an important role in the photochemistry of adenine.

Salter, Latasha M.↗

Electronic states of molecules. II.

Self consistent field molecular orbital method in LCAO /linear combination of atomic orbitals/ approximation applied to LiH ground state for potential energy curve

Hanley, M. J.↗

A theoretical study of selected singlet and triplet states of CO molecule

The results of the configuration calculations of six singlet electronic states and one triplet electronic state of CO are presented. The potential energy curves, spectroscopic constants, and electron transition moments are calculated, along with electronic dipole moment functions for three states. The self consistent field and configuration calculations used to obtain the electronic wave functions are described. The theoretical results are found to be in good agreement with the experimental measurements, and in the case of the dipole moment function calculations, preferable to them.

Cooper, D. M.↗

IR pumped third-harmonic generation and sum-frequency generation in diatomic molecules

The potential efficiency of using nonlinear up-conversion techniques for the high efficiency type lasers (CO,CO2, and chemical) is assessed. Results indicate that: the small pump photon energy necessitates the use of molecular media for conversion if resonance enhancement is to be used and that molecular systems present several problems. These difficulties include: their levels are complex; their transition probabilities are often unknown; and the oscillator strengths among vibrational levels in the ground electronic state of a molecule are much smaller than those among electronic states of an atom, thus limiting the magnitude of nonlinear interactions. It is shown that this problem can be eliminated by making use of vibronic transitions which, being primarily electronic transitions have much larger matrix elements and efficient conversion can be achieved with molecular systems.

She, C. Y.↗

Half-projected Hartree-Fock calculations on several small molecules

The half-projected Hartree-Fock (HPHF) method is examined with respect to its ability to obtain molecular correlation, describe molecular potential energy surfaces, and provide a one-particle basis for more elaborate treatments. The equivalence, aside from questions of efficiency, of two different HPHF algorithms is demonstrated. The results of calculations on H2O, C2, N2, and CH2 indicate that the performance of the HPHF method, with spin projection in appropriate cases, is roughly equivalent to limited MCSCF treatments. In particular, a small but important fraction of the correlation energy, qualitatively correct potential energy surfaces, and good one-particle orbital bases are obtained.

Lengsfield, B. H., III↗

The Effect of the Spin-Forbidden Co((sup 1) Sigma plus) plus O((sup 3) P) Yields CO2 (1 Sigma (sub G) plus) Recombination Reaction on Afterbody Heating of Mars Entry Vehicles

Vibrationally excited CO2, formed by two-body recombination from CO((sup 1) sigma plus) and O((sup 3) P) in the wake behind spacecraft entering the Martian atmosphere reaction, is potentially responsible for the higher than anticipated radiative heating of the backshell, compared to pre-flight predictions. This process involves a spin-forbidden transition of the transient triplet CO2 molecule to the longer-lived singlet. To accurately predict the singlet-triplet transition probability and estimate the thermal rate coefficient of the recombination reaction, ab initio methods were used to compute the first singlet and three lowest triplet CO2 potential energy surfaces and the spin-orbit coupling matrix elements between these states. Analytical fits to these four potential energy surfaces were generated for surface hopping trajectory calculations, using Tully's fewest switches surface hopping algorithm. Preliminary results for the trajectory calculations are presented. The calculated probability of a CO((sup 1) sigma plus) and O((sup 3) P) collision leading to singlet CO2 formation is on the order of 10 (sup -4). The predicted flowfield conditions for various Mars entry scenarios predict temperatures in the range of 1000 degrees Kelvin - 4000 degrees Kelvin and pressures in the range of 300-2500 pascals at the shoulder and in the wake, which is consistent with a heavy-particle collision frequency of 10 (sup 6) to 10 (sup 7) per second. Owing to this low collision frequency, it is likely that CO((sup 1) sigma plus) molecules formed by this mechanism will mostly be frozen in a highly nonequilibrium rovibrational energy state until they relax by photoemission.

CO2 recombination↗

Momentum and energy exchange collision terms for interpenetrating bi-Maxwellian gases

For application to aeronomy and space physics problems involving strongly magnetized plasma flows, we derived momentum and energy exchange collision terms for interpenetrating bi-Maxwellian gases. Collision terms were derived for Coulomb, Maxwell molecule, and constant collision cross-section interaction potentials. The collision terms are valid for arbitrary flow velocity differences and temperature differences between the interacting gases as well as for arbitrary temperature anisotropies. The collision terms had to be evaluated numerically and the appropriate coefficients are presented in tables. However, the collision terms were also fitted with simplified expressions, the accuracy of which depends on both the interaction potential and the temperature anisotropy. In addition, we derived the closed set of transport equations that are associated with the momentum and energy collision terms.

Barakat, A. R.↗

Electrostatically controlled heat shutter

A heat transfer assembly for conducting thermal energy is described. The assembly includes a hermetically sealed container enclosing a quantity of inert gas such as nitrogen. Two opposed walls of the container have high thermal conducting characteristics while the connecting walls have low thermal conducting characteristics. Electrodes are positioned adjacent to the high thermal conducing walls and biased relative to the conducting walls to a corona potential for creating an ionic gas wind which must contact the conducting walls to be neutralized. The contact of the gas molecules permits the maximum thermal energy transfer between the walls. Baffles can be positioned adjacent to the electrodes to regulate gas flow between the high thermal conducting surfaces.

Derr, L. J.↗

Chemical reactivity of hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms at temperatures below 100 k

The synthesis of unusual compounds by techniques employing cryogenic cooling to retard their very extreme reactivity was investigated. Examples of such species that were studied are diimide (N2H2), cyclobutadiene (C4H4), cyclopropanone (C3H4O), oxirene (C2H2O), and many others. Special purpose cryogenically cooled inlet arrangements were designed such that the analyses incurred no warm-up of the cold, and frequently explosively unstable, compounds. Controlled energy electron impact techniques were used to measure critical potentials and to develop the molecular energetics and thermodynamics of these molecules and to gain some insight into their kinetic characteristics as well. Three and four carbon strained ring molecules were studied. Several reactions of oxygen and hydrogen atoms with simple molecules of H, N, C, and O in hard quench configurations were studied. And the quench stabilization of BH3 was explored as a model system in cryochemistry.

Mcgee, H. A., Jr.↗

Close-coupling calculations with an INDOX/1s static potential, semiclassical exchange, and a semi-empirical polarisation potential for electron-CO2 elastic scattering and rotational excitation

A semiempirical molecular-orbital method for modelling the effective potential for electron-molecule scattering is applied to elastic scattering and rotational excitation of CO2 at 20 eV impact energy. Agreement with experiment is reasonably good. The calculated rotationally summed integral cross section is 67.8 a sub 0 squared.

Onda, K.↗

Molecules and chains in a strong magnetic field - Statistical treatment

A Thomas-Fermi-Dirac-Weizsaecker statistical model is developed and employed to investigate diatomic molecules and infinite molecular chains in strong magnetic fields. The standard magnetic Thomas-Fermi-Dirac kinetic, potential, and exchange energy functionals are supplemented by a gradient correction to the kinetic energy. The numerical method used for solving this system in two spatial dimensions is detailed. Numerical solutions for a wide range of magnetic strengths and elements are presented to demonstrate the robustness, as well as the limitations, of the statistical approach. These calculations qualitatively reproduce many of the results of detailed quantum mechanical treatments. For example, the fractional binding energy is greatest for low atomic numbers and for strong magnetic fields.

Abrahams, Andrew M.↗

Ab Initio Potential Energy Surface for H-H2

Ab initio calculations employing large basis sets are performed to determine an accurate potential energy surface for H-H2 interactions for a broad range of separation distances. At large distances, the spherically averaged potential determined from the calculated energies agrees well with the corresponding results determined from dispersion coefficients; the van der Waals well depth is predicted to be 75 +/- 3 micro E(h). Large basis sets have also been applied to reexamine the accuracy of theoretical repulsive potential energy surfaces (25-70 kcal/mol above the H-H2 asymptote) at small interatomic separations; the Boothroyd, Keogh, Martin, and Peterson (BKMP) potential energy surface is found to agree with results of the present calculations within the expected uncertainty (+/- 1 kcal/mol) of the fit. Multipolar expansions of the computed H-H2 potential energy surface are reported for four internuclear separation distances (1.2, 1.401, 1.449, and 1.7a(0)) of the hydrogen molecule. The differential elastic scattering cross section calculated from the present results is compared with the measurements from a crossed beam experiment.

Patridge, Harry↗

Ab initio Potential Energy Surface for H-H2

Ab initio calculations employing large basis sets are performed to determine an accurate potential energy surface for H-H2 interactions for a broad range of separation distances. At large distances, the spherically averaged potential determined from the calculated energies agrees well with the corresponding results determined from dispersion coefficients; the van der Waals well depth is predicted to be 75 +/- (mu)E(sub h). Large basis sets have also been applied to reexamine the accuracy of theoretical repulsive potential energy surfaces. Multipolar expansions of the computed H-H2 potential energy surface are reported for four internuclear separation distances (1.2, 1.401, 1.449, and 1.7a(sub 0) of the hydrogen molecule. The differential elastic scattering cross section calculated from the present results is compared with the measurements from a crossed beam experiment.

Partridge, Harry↗

Non-Equilibrium Properties from Equilibrium Free Energy Calculations

Calculating free energy in computer simulations is of central importance in statistical mechanics of condensed media and its applications to chemistry and biology not only because it is the most comprehensive and informative quantity that characterizes the eqUilibrium state, but also because it often provides an efficient route to access dynamic and kinetic properties of a system. Most of applications of equilibrium free energy calculations to non-equilibrium processes rely on a description in which a molecule or an ion diffuses in the potential of mean force. In general case this description is a simplification, but it might be satisfactorily accurate in many instances of practical interest. This hypothesis has been tested in the example of the electrodiffusion equation . Conductance of model ion channels has been calculated directly through counting the number of ion crossing events observed during long molecular dynamics simulations and has been compared with the conductance obtained from solving the generalized Nernst-Plank equation. It has been shown that under relatively modest conditions the agreement between these two approaches is excellent, thus demonstrating the assumptions underlying the diffusion equation are fulfilled. Under these conditions the electrodiffusion equation provides an efficient approach to calculating the full voltage-current dependence routinely measured in electrophysiological experiments.

Pohorille, Andrew↗

Line Mixing in Parallel and Perpendicular Bands of CO2: A Further Test of the Refined Robert-Bonamy Formalism

Starting from the refined Robert-Bonamy formalism [Q. Ma, C. Boulet, and R. H. Tipping, J. Chem. Phys. 139, 034305 (2013)], we propose here an extension of line mixing studies to infrared absorptions of linear polyatomic molecules having stretching and bending modes. The present formalism does not neglect the internal degrees of freedom of the perturbing molecules, contrary to the energy corrected sudden (ECS) modeling, and enables one to calculate the whole relaxation matrix starting from the potential energy surface. Meanwhile, similar to the ECS modeling, the present formalism properly accounts for roles played by all the internal angular momenta in the coupling process, including the vibrational angular momentum. The formalism has been applied to the important case of CO2 broadened by N2. Applications to two kinds of vibrational bands (sigma yields sigma and sigma yields pi) have shown that the present results are in good agreement with both experimental data and results derived from the ECS model.

Semiclassical theories↗