High-Resolution Spectroscopy of Molecular Ions Relevant to Astrochemistry

Palestrante: Dr. Weslley Guilherme Dias de Paiva Silva (Universidade de Colônia – Alemanha)

Resumo: Molecular ions are key intermediate species driving the chemistry of the interstellar medium through ion-molecule reactions. However, many molecular ions considered central in astrochemical networks remain elusive to astronomers. The primary reason for not observing many ions in space has been the difficulty of obtaining their spectral fingerprints in the laboratory, which are crucial to guide their astronomical detections. Due to their high reactivity, ions are challenging to produce in large quantities and require specialized techniques for study. With a novel, universal action spectroscopic method known as leak-out spectroscopy, recently developed at the University of Cologne in Germany, we can now capture high-resolution vibrational and pure rotational spectra of mass-selected bare ions with unprecedented signal-to-noise ratio. This capability allows us to characterize the molecular geometries of these ions for the first time, and lays the groundwork for their radioastronomical detections. In this talk, I will present recent high-resolution spectra of several astrochemically relevant cations measured in Cologne, including the small hydrocarbon C3H3+ and the more complex CH3OH2+ cation.

O Dr. Weslley G. D. P. Silva é Graduado em Química (bacharelado e licenciatura) pela Universidade Federal de Lavras (2015), possui mestrado em Química Orgânica pela Universidade de Campinas (2017), onde trabalhou com análise conformacional de derivados de aminoácidos por RMN e cálculos teóricos. Em 2021, concluiu o doutorado em Físico-Química na University of Manitoba, Canadá, focando em espectroscopia rotacional de monômeros e aglomerados moleculares apresentando ligações não covalentes, tunelamento e movimentos de alta amplitude. Atualmente, como bolsista de pós-doutorado pela Fundação Alexander von Humboldt na Universidade de Colônia na Alemanha, dedica-se à espectroscopia vibracional e rotacional de íons moleculares, com foco em sistemas relevantes para a astroquímica.

Prof. Responsável: Cláudio Francisco Tormena