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Home > Research Teams > Molecular systems, Astrophysics and Environment > Research > Theme 2: Relaxation dynamics of excited molecules > Collision-induced molecular dynamics of species of astrophysical relevance

Collision-induced molecular dynamics of species of astrophysical relevance

The relaxation of molecules and clusters excited in high velocity collisions with atoms is studied in a close collaboration with researchers at IPNO and Marin Chabot in particular.

The fragmentation of the excited molecules is registered thanks to a dedicated spectrometer, AGAT, located at the Tandem accelerator at IPNO. The collision allows depositing a variable and quite large amount of energy in the molecule, typically in the 5-40 eV domain. The fragmentation of the excited molecules is registered thanks to a dedicated spectrometer. Carbon-based molecules, of interest in astrochemistry, are investigated. Neutral as well as ionic molecules (cations and anions) are studied. Measured fragmentation branching ratios are used to construct “Breakdown curves (BDC)” which allow to predict fragmentation pattern of the molecule following any physical or chemical process if the associated energy deposit is known. These predictions are included in the international kinetic database for astrochemistry KIDA. In addition, absolute collisional cross sections are measured and serve as benchmarks for theoretical investigations in these complex collisional systems.