The COST Action "The chemical cosmos: Understanding Chemistry in Astronomical Environments" encompasses 3 working groups devoted to 3 different important themes in astrochemistry: Radical and ion-induced reactions, Heterogeneous chemistry and Chemistry of planetary atmospheres
Working Group 1: Radical- and Ion-Induced Reactions
Coordinator: Wolf D. Geppert, Stockholm University
At very low temperatures many reaction between closed shell molecules proceeding under terrestrial conditions are inefficient since they possess energy barriers which makes them unfeasible at the low temperatures prevailing in the interstellar medium and planetary atmospheres. In these environments, the chemistry is governed by so called barrierless reactions and many radical and ion-induced processes fall under that category.
Such reactions were very probably the first reactions to occur in the early Universe, before the first stars were formed. Interest in such processes has been huge in the last decades and many experimental and theoretical methods have been developed during the last decades. The Working group aims to act as an interaction forum between scientists engaged in observation of molecules, model calculations and experimental and theoretical investigations of radical- and ion induced reactions in order to identify and to study the most crucial molecular processes in the interstellar medium and planetary atmospheres.
Click here for information abut the first meeting of the working group (Boppard, Germany 9-12 May 2010 )
Working Group 2: Heterogeneous chemistry
Coordinator: Maria Elisabetta Palumbo, INAF - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania, Italy
Although gas phase ion/radical chemistry may explain the formation of some interstellar compounds, it cannot explain the formation of the most common molecule H2 nor many other more complex organic compounds that have been detected in the interstellar medium. Many of these molecules are therefore regarded to be formed on the surface of bare or ice covered dust particles. Surface processes on icy grains have been found to be strongly dependent on the morphology of the ice, about which we remain largely ignorant. The Working Group aims to bring together scientists from different fields working on surface processes.
Working Group 3: Planetary atmosphere chemistry
Coordinator: Christian Muller, IASB-BIRA, Belgium
Once a planet has formed, much of its subsequent chemical evolution is determined by its atmospheric chemistry. The turbulence and physical processing of the surface by an atmosphere may lead to rapid change in the chemical nature of the surface and ultimately allow life to develop. Only now with the results of recent missions to Mars, Titan and Venus, and their comparison with the conditions in Earth’s atmosphere, we are able to explore how chemical nature of planetary atmospheres may influence the subsequent evolution of the planet. The Working Group aims to act as an interdisciplinary forum of researchers engaged in the study of planetary atmospheric processes and to collaborate with existing European initiatives in the field like e. g. Europlanet.
The Working groups hold regular meetings focusing on especially interesting topics in their fields. If you wish to become a member of one of the working groups, please contact the respective coordinator. More information about the working groups and their members can be found on their webpages (see menu on the left).
