Hannover 2016 – scientific programme

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MO: Fachverband Molekülphysik

MO 12: Symposium SYML: From First Molecules to Life (with MS)

MO 12.1: Invited Talk

Wednesday, March 2, 2016, 11:00–11:30, e415

Laboratory studies of interstellar molecules: from the first molecules to complex organics in space — •Holger Kreckel — Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany

Modern telescopes have detected more than 180 different molecules, bearing witness to a surprisingly rich interstellar chemistry network that operates efficiently at extremely low densities and temperatures. The key to the molecular complexity in the gas phase are reactions between molecular ions and neutral atoms and molecules, as this class of reaction is often exothermic and barrier-less and therefore proceeds even in low-temperature environments. However, many of the key interstellar species are highly reactive under terrestrial conditions and thus difficult to study in the laboratory.

I will report on laboratory studies that simulate the formation of molecular hydrogen in the early universe and describe the merged beams technique that allows for the determination of energy-resolved rate coefficients for interstellar applications. Furthermore, I will introduce the planned neutral-ion collision setup at the Cryogenic Storage Ring (CSR) of the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics (Heidelberg). This new experimental development aims at the study of ion-neutral collisions relevant for the formation of key species like water and complex organic molecules, under true interstellar conditions.