Laser Spectroscopy of Ions and Clusters

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

With this Renewal proposal, Professor Richard Saykallly seeks support for his research on laser spectroscopy of ions and water clusters. The proposed research will refine and extend the water dimer potential, by characterizing and modeling out of plane librational vibrations expected to be seen near 500 cm-1. The refined dimer potential will then be used to calculate three-body interactions in the water trimer. These potentials will then be used for advanced bulk water simulations, in collaboration with David Chandler's group at Berkeley. Additional aspects, such as experimental examination of (H2O)8, hydrated proton clusters, EXAFS of liquid water, and nucleotide base hydrates will be examined experimentally. Improved models for liquid water and aqueous solvation will have impact in the modeling of protein structures and other biological molecules. A greater understanding of liquid water remains an important unsolved problem in molecular physics and condensed matter chemistry.