Rydberg Series as Ionization Channels: Photoabsorption and Photoionization of the Atmospherically Relevant Molecule NO

Photoionization cross sections and asymmetry parameters for the valence shell of methanol

Theoretical cross sections for photoionization of the methanol valence orbitals in covering a region up to 80 eV beyond the first ionization potential are reported. The molecular quantum defect orbital, MQDO, method, which has proved to be reliable in previous applications to molecular photoionization, has been used. To our knowledge, predictions of electronic partial cross section profiles on this molecule are made here for the first time, and we are not aware of any reported experimental data. Partial cross sections for production of parent and fragment ions of methanol have also been calculated and compared with previous measurements. In addition, the MQDO method has been used to calculate the angular distribution of photoelectrons for the valence orbitals of methanol over the 11-50 eV photon energy range. Our results are compared with experimental data, showing a good agreement in most cases. We hope that the present results might be of use in atmospheric and interstellar chemistry, where this molecule plays an important role.

Angular distribution of photoelectrons in small molecules: a molecular quantum defect calculation

The molecular quantum defect orbital (MQDO) method, previously used in the determination of molecular photoionization cross sections, is applied here to calculate the angular distribution of photoelectrons arising from the molecular photoionization. Calculations are performed for the ionization from outer valence orbitals of HF, H(2)O, NH(3), N(2)O, and H(2)CO molecules. The results are compared with previous measurements and with theoretical curves found in the literature. Profiles of the angular distribution parameter as a function of photoelectron energy covering a range from the photoionization threshold to 120 eV are presented for the above molecules. The energy dependence of the angular distributions predicted by the MQDO calculations agrees fairly well with predictions from more sophisticated theories and with observed results.