[Triumf-seminars] TRIUMF Colloquium today at 14:00

[TRIUMF Seminars]

Date/Time: Thu 2023-04-27 at 14:00

Location:  Auditorium/Remote   

Speaker:   Ilsa Cooke (UBC)

Title:     Unraveling the organic chemistry of dense clouds: interstellar molecules and the laboratory tools that we use to study them

Abstract: Less than a hundred years ago astronomers believed that molecules could not survive in the harsh environment of interstellar space.  However, advancements in radio astronomy in the last 50 years have enabled a boom in the detection of new molecules. Today, our picture of the molecular universe has expanded and over 250 molecules have been identified in the interstellar medium, including exotic and unstable species as well as many organic molecules that are also found on Earth. These molecules can be used to probe the temperatures, densities and levels of radiation and ionization of interstellar regions. Interstellar space also represents the ultimate physical chemistry laboratory, providing the ideal testing grounds for fundamental theories of cold chemistry and collisions.

The reactions of molecules in interstellar space occur over a wide range of temperatures, down to 10 K or colder, in both the gas-phase and on the surface of icy dust grains. This presents an enormous challenge for laboratory astrochemists, who aim to simulate conditions in space and quantify formation routes of interstellar molecules. I will discuss experimental methods that can be used to simulate these environments and support astronomical observations, including ice experiments and low-temperature gas-phase reaction kinetics measurements using the CRESU (French acronym for Reaction Kinetics in Uniform Supersonic Flow) technique.  I will present the major challenges in the field and how we use experiments to approach these questions (and how TRIUMF might help).

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Join Zoom Meeting
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/68583659960?pwd=azhJbHVGSjFvWnRiYWx4NHhiaHNSZz09

Meeting ID: 685 8365 9960
Passcode: 222228

Bring your own mug!

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General TRIUMF seminar information available at http://www.triumf.ca/home/upcoming-events/about-seminars-lectures