Experimental radiative cooling rates of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon cation
José E. Navarro Navarrete, James N. Bull, H. Cederquist, Suvasthika Indrajith, MingChao Ji, H. T. Schmidt, Henning Zettergren, Boxing Zhu, Mark H. Stockett
Abstract
CN, 1-CNN), the neutral species of which has been identified in TMC-1. Laser-induced dissociation rates and kinetic energy release distributions of 1-CNN cations isolated in a cryogenic electrostatic ion-beam storage ring are analysed to track the time evolution of the vibrational energy distribution of the initially hot ion ensemble as it cools. The measured cooling rate is in good agreement with the previously calculated RF rate coefficient. Improved measurements and models of the RF mechanism are needed to interpret astronomical observations and refine predictions of the stabilities of interstellar PAHs.