Electronic spectroscopy of molecular ions for astrochemical consideration

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Recent advances in laboratory methods using cryogenic traps have enabled gas phase measurement of the electronic spectra of large molecular ions of astrochemical interest at temperatures below 10K. Routine tagging of virtually any cation with helium atom(s) has led to a relatively straightforward route to obtain spectroscopic information on buffer gas cooled molecular ions.1 This enabled the first identification of a molecular carrier of some of the enigmatic diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) to be made.2 The striking resemblance of several DIBs with laboratory measurements on C60+ has renewed long standing astrochemical interest in fullerenes and analogues.3 In this talk I will discuss spectra of fullerene cations and analogues,4 and their comparison with astronomical observations. Finally, I will describe a new instrument that combines synthesis in a laser ablation source with ion storage in a 3K trap,5 allowing spectroscopic detection of molecules for which a traditional organic synthesis route does not exist.

[1] Campbell, Mol. Phys. 118, e1797918 (2020) and references therein.
[2] Maier & Campbell, Int. J. Mass Spectrom. 434, 116 (2018) and references therein.
[3] Kroto & Jura, ARA&A 263, 275 (1992).
[4] Campbell et al. ApJ. 897, 88 (2020).
[5] Campbell & Dunk, Rev Sci. Instrum. 90, 103101 (2019).