Study finds CO2 molecules change abnormally under strong radiation

An Israeli-German research team, including members from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU), the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, and the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), has uncovered unusual behavior in CO2 molecules under strong radiation. Published in Nature Communications, their study reveals that CO2 molecules undergo asymmetric structural changes when exposed to intense radiation. This symmetry-breaking leads to the formation of CO3 moieties, which could impact our understanding of chemical processes in space and atmospheric conditions.

Using time-resolved extreme ultraviolet imaging and computer simulations, the researchers observed that CO2 dimers, when ionized, shift from a stable parallel shape to a T-shaped structure in about 100 millionths of a billionth of a second. Further ionization can lead to a stable complex formation. Their findings suggest that CO2 dimers exist in a superposition of symmetry-breaking states, with behavior influenced by charge distribution upon ionization. This research provides new insights into molecular behavior under extreme conditions.

Source-CGTN