Victor J. Herrero Research Professor Instituto de Estructura de la Materia (CSIC) Serrano 123, office 14 28006 Madrid, Spain Phone: 34-91-5901605 Fax: 34-91-5645557 email: vherrero@iem.cfmac.csic.es

Current Research Interests:

• Reaction Dynamics.
  
  Bimolecular collisions drive chemical processes and energy transfer in the gas phase and are thus determinant for the properties of atmospheres, combustion media or interstellar clouds. We are interested in the theoretical (classical and quantum mechanical) and experimental (molecular beams and lasers) study of elementary gas phase reactive and inelastic collisions. We have concentrated on prototypic atom-diatom systems, including isotopic variants and ion molecule reactions (H+H2, Mu+H2, F+H2, O(1D)+H2, H+ + H2) for which a comparison of precise theoretical calculations and high resolution experimental measurements is most meaningful. This research is performed in close collaboration with the Department of Physical Chemistry I of the Universidad Complutense, Madrid.

• Spectroscopy of “ices” of atmospheric and astronomical interest
  
  “Ices”, understood in a broad sense as solid phases of volatile species, play an important role in the microphysics and chemistry of the atmosphere and in many astronomical environments including interstellar grains, comets, transneptunian objects, moons and planets. We perform parallel experimental (IR spectroscopy, Mass spectrometry) and theoretical (DFT calculations) investigations of laboratory analogues of atmospherical and astrophysical ices. The experiments are performed under vacuum and at temperatures down to 10 K. Systems studied by our group include nitric acid hydrates, which are constituents of polar stratospheric clouds, as well as mixtures containing H2O, CO2, CH4, CH3OH, NH3… of relevance in astronomical objects. We have also recently addressed the study of ions (NH4+, HCOO-, OCN-) and aminoacids (glycine, alanine) within the ices.

• Diagnostic and kinetic modelling of cold plasmas

  Most of visible matter in the Universe is in the form of plasma. Plasmas make up stars and planetary ionospheres and are of relevance in a number of technological processes and in controlled nuclear fusion studies. Our research is aimed at the experimental diagnostics (emission spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, electrical probes) and chemical kinetic modelling of cold plasmas (having fast electrons, but room temperature neutrals)(link). We employ DC (hollow cathode) and RF discharges in our experiments. Surface and ion chemistry are particularly relevant in these media. Thus far we have concentrated on plasmas of nitrogen oxides and air (related to the Earth’s ionosphere), and also in plasmas of H2 and D2 either pure or with diverse admixtures of N2, O2, CH4. The processes taking place in these plasmas are of interest in many astronomical media and in controlled fusion devices. For studies of interest in fusion devices we work in cooperation with the Fusion Division of CIEMAT

Publications: