Control of transition state spectra: Enhancement of diffuse structure in the photodissociation spectrum of CO2

Reduced-Order Modeling, Error Estimation, and the Role of the Start-Vector: The Recursive Residue Generation Method Revisited

The recursive residue generation method (RRGM) [Wyatt, R. E. Adv. Chem. Phys. 1989, 73, 231] is re-derived using the formalism of reduced-order modeling [Bai, Z. Appl. Numerical Math. 2002, 43, 9]. A stopping criteria for the RRGM recursions is proposed, on the basis of an expression for an upper bound to the absolute error [Bai, Z.; Ye, Q. Electron. Trans. Numerical Anal. 1998, 7, 1]. It is further pointed out that, in general, the start-vector has a negligible effect on the convergence of the RRGM.

The state-to-state-to-state model for direct chemical reactions: Application to D+H2→HD+H

A simple theoretical model is developed to predict the state-to-state dynamics of direct chemical reactions. Motivated by traditional ideas from transition state theory, expressions are derived for the reactive S matrix that may be computed using the local transition state dynamics. The key approximation involves the use of quantum bottleneck states to represent the near separable dynamics taking place near the transition state. Explicit expressions for the S matrix are obtained using a Franck-Condon treatment for the inelastic coupling between internal states of the collision complex. It is demonstrated that the energetic thresholds for various initial reagent states of the D+H(2) reaction can be understood in terms of our theory. Specifically, the helicity of the reagent states are found to correlate directly to the symmetry of the quantum bottleneck states, which thus possess very different thresholds. Furthermore, the rotational product state distributions for D+H(2) are found to be associated with interfering pathways through the quantum bottleneck states.

On the relation between quantum lifetimes and classical stability for the systems with a saddle-type potential

Relations between quantum-mechanical and classical properties of open systems with a saddle-type potential, for which at a given energy only one unstable periodic orbit exists, are studied. By considering the convergence of the Gutzwiller trace formula [J. Math. Phys. 12, 343 (1971)] it is confirmed that both for homogeneous and inhomogeneous potentials the poles of the formula are located below the real energy axis, i.e., these kind of potentials do not support bound states, in general. Within the harmonic approximation the widths of resonant (transition) states are proportional to the values of Lyapunov exponent of the single periodic orbit calculated at the energies which are equal to the resonance positions. The accuracy of the semiclassical relation is discussed and demonstrated for several examples.

Resonance-mediated chemical reaction: F+HD-->HF+D

Conclusive evidence is presented for the existence of a reactive resonance in the F+HD reaction. In a molecular beam experiment, the resonance appears in the integral cross section as a distinct steplike feature, while in the differential cross section it is manifested as sharply varying forward-backward peaks in the product distribution. A detailed analysis of the quantum dynamics establishes that a reactive resonance localized in the transition-state region is responsible for these remarkable observations. At collision energies below 1 kcal/mol, the reaction proceeds almost exclusively through resonant tunneling with very little contribution from the more conventional direct mechanism.