Working Group 5

Confined Systems in Astrochemistry: Gas- and Condensed-Phase Spectroscopy and Reactivity

Focuses in Astrochemistry in a broad sense. Observations both from the interstellar medium and laboratory experiments form the basis for the computational and theoretical chemistry and physics methods.

1) The experimental methods at our disposal play an important role, i.e., attractive kinetics and spectroscopy experiments in the laboratory, often mimicking at least partly the conditions in the interstellar medium. The spectroscopy part includes the state-of-the-art laser experiments with frequency combs and build-up cavities. Kinetics and dynamics experiments that use modern spectroscopy tools will be directed particularly to low temperature and barrierless reactions appropriate for interstellar medium.

2)  Fascinating quantum chemistry and classical physics computational tools have to cope with the gas systems of isolated molecules with high precision and the complexity of the surface and condensed phase systems. We are interested in using and developing these methods in investigating molecular properties and chemical reactions in the gas and condensed phase molecular problems in astrochemistry. Extreme conditions such as very large magnetic fields and high temperatures will also play a role in applying theory and computational approaches.

3) As all these issues are demanding but very interesting and scientifically stimulating, the other members in COSY are very welcome to share their scientific knowhow with the WG5 members.