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Astrochemistry

Insights into ultrafast H3+ formation provide a glimpse into primordial chemistry

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When atoms first appeared in the Universe, molecules were needed to help coalesce them into stars. The trihydrogen cation H3+ is among the prime candidates for that process, and now two independent studies provide detailed insight into the ultrafast dynamics of the formation of this important ion from two hydrogen molecules.

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Fig. 1: Sketch of the experimental set-up.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Marcos Dantus

  2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Marcos Dantus

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  1. Marcos Dantus
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Correspondence to Marcos Dantus.

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Dantus, M. Insights into ultrafast H3+ formation provide a glimpse into primordial chemistry. Nat. Chem. 15, 1202–1203 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-023-01298-8

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