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At least 19 records

Principles and procedures for determining absolute differential electron-molecule (atom) scattering cross sections

Procedures and calibration techniques for measuring the absolute elastic and inelastic differential cross sections (DCS) for electron impact on molecular (atomic) species are described and illustrated by examples. The elastic DCS for the molecule under study is first determined by calibration against helium using the relative flow technique. The second step involves the production of energy-loss spectra for the instrument response function, the unfolding of overlapping inelastic structures and the normalization of inelastic intensities to the elastic cross sections. It is concluded that this method of determining absolute differential electron-molecule (atom) scattering cross sections is generally applicable and provides reliable results.

Nickel, J. C.↗

The atom-molecule reaction D plus H2 yields HD plus H studied by molecular beams

Collisions between deuterium atoms and hydrogen molecules were studied in a modulated crossed beam experiment. The relative signal intensity and the signal phase for the product HD from reactive collisions permitted determination of both the angular distribution and HD mean velocity as a function of angle. From these a relative differential reactive scattering cross section in center-of-mass coordinates was deduced. The experiment indicates that reactively formed HD which has little or no internal excitation departs from the collision anisotropically, with maximum amplitude 180 deg from the direction of the incident D beam in center-of-mass coordinates, which shows that the D-H-H reacting configuration is short-lived compared to its rotation time. Non reactive scattering of D by H2 was used to assign absolute values to the differential reactive scattering cross sections.

Geddes, J.↗

On the accuracy of the 'decoupled l-dominant' approximation for atom-molecule scattering

Cross sections for rotational excitation and spectral pressure broadening of HD, HCl, CO, and HCN due to collisions with low energy He atoms have been computed within the 'decoupled l-dominant' (DLD) approximation and are compared with accurate close coupling results and also with two similar approximations, the effective potential of Rabitz and the coupled states of McGuire and Kouri. DLD predictions of state-to-state cross sections are rather good, being only slightly less accurate than coupled states results. DLD is far superior to either the coupled states or effective potential methods for pressure broadening calculations, although it may not be uniformly of the quantitative accuracy desirable for obtaining intermolecular potentials from experimental data.

Green, S.↗

Absolute Transition Probabilities of Lines in the Spectra of Astrophysical Atoms, Molecules, and Ions

Progress in the investigation of absolute transition probabilities (A-values or F values) for ultraviolet lines is reported. A radio frequency ion trap was used for measurement of transition probabilities for intersystem lines seen in astronomical spectra. The intersystem line at 2670 A in Al II, which is seen in pre-main sequence stars and symbiotic stars, was studied.

Parkinson, W. H.↗

Effective Potential Energies and Transport Cross Sections for Atom-Molecule Interactions of Nitrogen and Nitrogen

The potential energy surfaces for H2-N and N2-N interactions are calculated by accurate ab initio methods and applied to determine transport data. The results confirm that an effective potential energy for accurately determining transport properties can be calculated using a single orientation. A simple method is developed to determine the dispersion coefficients of effective potential energies Effective potential energies required for O2-O collisions are determ=ined. The H2-N, N2-N, O2-H, and O2-O collision integrals are calculated and tabulated for a large range of temperatures. The theoretical values of the N2-N and O2-O diffusion coefficients compare well with measured data available at room temperature.

Stallcop, James R.↗

Quantum Mechanical Study of Atoms and Molecules

This paper, following a brief introduction, is divided into five parts. Part I outlines the theory of the molecular orbital method for the ground, ionized and excited states of molecules. Part II gives a brief summary of the interaction integrals and their tabulation. Part III outlines an automatic program designed for the computation of various states of molecules. Part IV gives examples of the study of ground, ionized and excited states of CO, BH and N2 where the program of automatic computation and molecular integrals have been utilized. Part V enlists some special problems of Molecular Quantum Mechanics are being tackled at New York University.

QUANTUM MECHANICS↗

A Self-Perpetuating Catalyst for the Production of Complex Organic Molecules in Protostellar Nebulae

The formation of abundant carbonaceous material in meteorites is a long standing problem and an important factor in the debate on the potential for the origin of life in other stellar systems. Many mechanisms may contribute to the total organic content in protostellar nebulae, ranging from organics formed via ion-molecule and atom-molecule reactions in the cold dark clouds from which such nebulae collapse, to similar ion-molecule and atom-molecule reactions in the dark regions of the nebula far from the proto star, to gas phase reactions in sub-nebulae around growing giant planets and in the nebulae themselves. The Fischer-Tropsch-type (FTT) catalytic reduction of CO by hydrogen was once the preferred model for production of organic materials in the primitive solar nebula. The Haber-Bosch catalytic reduction of N2 by hydrogen was thought to produce the reduced nitrogen found in meteorites. However, the clean iron metal surfaces that catalyze these reactions are easily poisoned via reaction with any number of molecules, including the very same complex organics that they produce and both reactions work more efficiently in the hot regions of the nebula. We have demonstrated that many grain surfaces can catalyze both FTT and HB-type reactions, including amorphous iron and magnesium silicates, pure silica smokes as well as several minerals. Although none work as well as pure iron grains, and all produce a wide range of organic products rather than just pure methane, these materials are not truly catalysts.

Nuth, Joseph A.↗

Interactions Between Ground-State Nitrogen Atoms and Molecules

Potential-energy curves for nitrogen atom (N-N) interactions corresponding to the X (1)Sigma(sup +, sub g), A (3)Sigma(sup +, sub u), (5)Sigma(sup +, sub g), (7)Sigma(sup +, sub u), B (3) Pi(sub g), C (3)(Pi(su u)and a (1)Pi(sub g) states of the nitrogen molecule N2 as well as curves for the atom-molecules (N-N2) and molecule-molecule (N2-N2) interactions have been calculated. All calculations have been based as nearly as possible on experimental data, including spectroscopically determined vibrational energy levels, scattering cross sections of atomic beams in gases, and measured vibrational relaxation times. In cases where experimental data were not available, approximate quantum-mechanical calculations have been made. Results obtained by these various methods are remarkably consistent with one another and are believed to have good accuracy.

Vanderslice, Joseph T.↗

Imaging Genetic Molecules At Atomic Resolution

Proposed method of imaging informational polymeric biological molecules at atomic resolution enables determination of sequences of component monomers about 10 to the 3rd power to 10 to the 4th power times as fast as conventional methods do. Accelerates research on genetic structures of animals and plants. Also contributes significantly to imaging processes like scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic-force microscopy (AFM), and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in cases in which necessary to locate or identify small specimens on relatively large backgrounds and subtract background images to obtain images of specimens in isolation. V-grooves on silicon wafer laid out in square pattern, intersections of which marked to identify coordinates. Specimen molecules held in grooves for reproducible positioning and scanning by AFM or STM.

Coles, L. Stephen↗

Vacuum ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy of atoms and molecules

For a complete study of the photoionization of atoms and molecules it is essential to make use of the technique of Photoelectron Spectroscopy and the continuum characteristics of synchrotron radiation. A brief review is given of the application of the above techniques in measuring partial photoionization cross sections and the angular distribution assymetry parameter beta. Selected results are given, which are compared to theoretical values.

Samson, J. A. R.↗