QUASAR
Pathways to Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Interstellar Space
Supervisor: Ugo JACOVELLA | Employer: Universté Paris-Saclay | 3i dimension: international 📥 PAHIS
Contact: ugo.jacovella@universite-paris-saclay.frAbstract: This PhD project investigates how small aromatic molecules form in the interstellar medium, key precursors to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). It focuses on the C5H7+ ion, an intermediate leading to the five-membered ring hydrocarbon C5H6, a crucial missing link in indene and related PAHs. The candidate will study ion–molecule reactions of small hydrocarbon cations using the iSELECTION setup at ISMO, combining ion mobility, mass spectrometry, kinetic measurements, and laser spectroscopy. Complementary experiments will be conducted in Prague, where reaction products can be investigated by ion mobility directly within the trap. Results will be fed into astrochemical models to evaluate their relevance in space. By linking laboratory experiments with astrochemical modeling, this interdisciplinary project bridges molecular physics, kinetics, spectroscopy, and astronomy, advancing our understanding of the formation and evolution of carbon-based molecules in the interstellar medium.
Project Objectives
The key objectives of the PhD project Pathways to Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Interstellar Space (PAHIS) are :
- Investigate how the first aromatic molecules form from simple hydrocarbons under interstellar conditions
- Identify and characterize the key ion–molecule reactions leading to crucial intermediates
- Use advanced ion mobility, mass spectrometry, and spectroscopy in France and the Czech Republic to study reaction mechanisms and molecular structures
- Integrate experimental results into astrochemical models to assess the formation and evolution of carbonaceous molecules in space
- Bridge laboratory studies with astronomical observations to improve understanding of the origins and growth of interstellar carbon-based matter.
Host Laboratory: ISMO 3i Host Laboratory: Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry
Specific skills and requirements
Pre-requisite:
- Background in molecular physics or physical chemistry or astrochemistry
- Hold a MSc in Physics, Physical Chemistry, Chemistry, or related fields
- Experience in mass spectrometry, ion mobility, or laser spectroscopy
Advantageous:
- Knowledge of kinetics and instrumentation
- Data acquisition using Python
Biographies
Thesis Director Short Bio: Ugo Jacovella is Chargé de Recherche at CNRS (ISMO, Université Paris-Saclay), specializing in molecular physics and astrochemistry. He completed his PhD at ETH Zurich under the supervision of Frédéric Merkt on spectroscopy of hydrocarbon cations, followed by a postdoc at the University of Melbourne in the group of Evan Bieske on ion trapping and mobility. His work focuses on the spectroscopy and reactivity of ions relevant to the interstellar medium. He develops advanced experimental setups combining ion mobility, mass spectrometry, and laser spectroscopy to characterize molecular structures and reaction mechanisms. His research bridges laboratory studies and astronomical observations, aiming to identify carriers of diffuse interstellar bands and understand the chemical evolution of carbon in space.
3i Co-supervisor Short Bio: Juraj Jašík is a researcher in the Department of Chemistry of Ions in Gaseous Phase at the J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, in Prague. He has been a long-standing collaborator of Dieter Gerlich and continues to work closely with Jana Roithová, with whom he was previously a scientist at Charles University. His research focuses on the spectroscopy and mass spectrometry of ions, particularly through the use of cryogenic ion traps. His main interests include infrared dissociation spectroscopy of mass-selected ions, studies of molecular dications, and investigations of ion–molecule reaction dynamics. Currently, he is developing new techniques to perform ion mobility spectrometry directly within ion traps.
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