Photodestruction of Diatomic Molecular Ions: Laboratory and Astrophysical Application

Molecules. 2020 Dec 31;26(1):151. doi: 10.3390/molecules26010151.

Abstract

In this work, the processes of photodissociation of some diatomic molecular ions are investigated. The partial photodissociation cross-sections for the individual rovibrational states of the diatomic molecular ions, which involves alkali metals, as well as corresponding data on molecular species and molecular state characterizations, are calculated. Also, the average cross-section and the corresponding spectral absorption rate coefficients for those small molecules are presented in tabulated form as a function of wavelengths and temperatures. The presented results can be of interest for laboratory plasmas as well as for the research of chemistry of different stellar objects with various astrophysical plasmas.

Keywords: astrophysical processes; atomic and molecular data; diatomic molecules; molecular spectroscopy; photodissociation; planetary chemistry; planetary geochemistry; plasma diagnostics; radiative processes.

MeSH terms

  • Astronomical Phenomena*
  • Diatoms / chemistry*
  • Laboratories*
  • Metals, Alkali / chemistry*
  • Oxides / chemistry*
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Metals, Alkali
  • Oxides