Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Astrochemical Dynamics: Fundamental Studies Relevant To Titan's Atmosphere, Wilson Kamundia Gichuhi

Wayne State University Dissertations

This work presents results of primary fundamental photodissociation and state-specific ion-molecule dynamical studies that are relevant to understanding the formation and growth mechanisms of unsaturated hydrocarbon molecules, haze layers and aerosols in Titan's upper atmosphere. In the diacetylene dimer, it is shown, via laboratory studies combined with electronic structure calculations that the photodissociation of the dimer readily initiates atomic hydrogen (H) loss and atomic H transfer reactions forming two prototypes of resonantly stabilized free radicals, C8H3 and C4H3, respectively. In ethylamine cation, high-level ab initio calculations identify the complex dissociation pathways for the ground state CH3CH2NH2+ radical cation at 233.3 …