Fast ion–molecule reactions in planetary atmospheres: a semiempirical capture approach
Abstract
The description of planetary and interstellar chemistry relies strongly on ion–molecule reaction rate data collected at room temperature or above. However, the temperature in the ionospheres of planets and in the interstellar medium can decrease down to 100 K and 10 K, respectively. We present here a simple semiempirical method to extend available measurements towards those temperatures. Our approach is based on the long-range capture theory combined with room temperature data. Results are presented for
- This article is part of the themed collection: Chemistry of the Planets