Uncovering Hidden Gas-Phase Reactions Triggered by Collisions

What is it about?

The chemical makeup of space and planetary atmospheres is constantly changing as atoms and molecules collide and interact with high-energy particles such as electrons, protons, and other atoms. These reactions drive the formation of new molecules and even the birth of stars. Because these collisions occur randomly, their chemistry has been difficult to study using ultrafast laser spectroscopy. This review highlights recent advances that reveal how chemical bonds form and break during such reactions, using ultrafast techniques capable of tracking atomic motion in real time. These studies are helping to refine models of how molecules and electrons interact throughout the universe.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

Our current understanding of how molecules transform when they collide and interact with high-energy particles, such as electrons, protons, and other atoms, comes mainly from measuring the reaction products after the process is complete. For example, the fragmentation of molecules following an electron impact with energies greater than 50eV cannot be predicted by any level of existing theory. Only recently have new methods emerged that allow scientists to track these reactions in real time, with femtosecond resolution, from the initial collision to the reaction’s end. The resulting information may help in the development of new theories that can correctly predict the outcome of these large class of chemical reactions.

Perspectives