1. Direct production of molecular oxygen from carbon dioxide and helium ion collisions.
- Author
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Zhi, Yaya, Guo, Qiang, Xie, Jingchen, Hu, Jie, and Tian, Shan Xi
- Subjects
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HELIUM ions , *CARBON dioxide , *ION-molecule collisions , *PLANETARY atmospheres , *ORIGIN of life , *SOLAR wind , *COSMOCHEMISTRY - Abstract
The prebiotic mechanism to produce molecular oxygen (O2) in carbon dioxide (CO2)-rich planetary atmospheres is of great importance in understanding astrochemical reactions and is potentially relevant to the origin of life on Earth. Here, we demonstrate that, aside from the direct productions of O2 by photodissociation and dissociative electron attachment, the low-energy ion-molecule reaction between cationic helium in solar winds and molecular CO2 is a noticeable mechanism. Branching ratios of the reaction channels are determined, and their absolute cross-sections are estimated accordingly. The present findings represent a further, indispensable step towards fully understanding the origins of atmospheric O2. The abiotic production of molecular oxygen in carbon dioxide-rich planetary atmospheres is important in understanding astrochemical reactions and potentially the origin of life on Earth. Here, the authors demonstrate that the low-energy reaction between helium ions, as found in solar winds, and carbon dioxide produces molecular oxygen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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