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Three body photodissociation of the water molecule and its implications for prebiotic oxygen production

Author

Listed:
  • Yao Chang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yong Yu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Feng An

    (Nanjing University)

  • Zijie Luo

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Dalian Maritime University)

  • Donghui Quan

    (Eastern Kentucky University)

  • Xia Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xixi Hu

    (Nanjing University)

  • Qinming Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jiayue Yang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zhichao Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Li Che

    (Dalian Maritime University)

  • Weiqing Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Guorong Wu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Daiqian Xie

    (Nanjing University)

  • Michael N. R. Ashfold

    (University of Bristol)

  • Kaijun Yuan

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xueming Yang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Southern University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

The provenance of oxygen on the Earth and other planets in the Solar System is a fundamental issue. It has been widely accepted that the only prebiotic pathway to produce oxygen in the Earth’s primitive atmosphere was via vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photodissociation of CO2 and subsequent two O atom recombination. Here, we provide experimental evidence of three-body dissociation (TBD) of H2O to produce O atoms in both 1D and 3P states upon VUV excitation using a tunable VUV free electron laser. Experimental results show that the TBD is the dominant pathway in the VUV H2O photochemistry at wavelengths between 90 and 107.4 nm. The relative abundance of water in the interstellar space with its exposure to the intense VUV radiation suggests that the TBD of H2O and subsequent O atom recombination should be an important prebiotic O2-production, which may need to be incorporated into interstellar photochemical models.

Suggested Citation

  • Yao Chang & Yong Yu & Feng An & Zijie Luo & Donghui Quan & Xia Zhang & Xixi Hu & Qinming Li & Jiayue Yang & Zhichao Chen & Li Che & Weiqing Zhang & Guorong Wu & Daiqian Xie & Michael N. R. Ashfold & K, 2021. "Three body photodissociation of the water molecule and its implications for prebiotic oxygen production," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-6, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-22824-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22824-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Yao Chang & Feng An & Zhichao Chen & Zijie Luo & Yarui Zhao & Xixi Hu & Jiayue Yang & Weiqing Zhang & Guorong Wu & Daiqian Xie & Kaijun Yuan & Xueming Yang, 2021. "Vibrationally excited molecular hydrogen production from the water photochemistry," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.

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