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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Computation of Atmospheric Concentrations of Molecular Clusters from ab initio Thermochemistry
Published on: April 8, 2020
Ab initio and analytical intermolecular potential for ClO-H2O.
Shiyu Du1, Joseph S Francisco, Gregory K Schenter
1Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1393, USA.
The ClO radical is crucial for atmospheric ozone removal. This study models the ClO.H2O complex, revealing key interactions in both ground and excited states for atmospheric chemistry.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric Chemistry
- Quantum Chemistry
- Chemical Physics
Background:
- The chlorine monoxide (ClO) free radical is significant in atmospheric ozone depletion processes.
- Understanding the ClO.H2O complex is vital due to the potential impact of its excited states on atmospheric chemical behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential energy surface of the ClO.H2O complex using high-level ab initio methods.
- To characterize both the ground and first excited states of the ClO.H2O complex.
- To develop analytical potentials for modeling the complex's interactions.
Main Methods:
- High-level ab initio calculations, specifically CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ, were employed for the potential energy surface scan.
- Analytical potentials were constructed using a Thole-type model, incorporating anisotropic atomic polarizabilities.
- Fixed geometries for ClO and H2O units were used in the analytical potential development.
Main Results:
- A comprehensive potential energy surface scan was performed for the ClO.H2O system.
- The study successfully recovered the two minima of the ClO.H2O complex using the developed analytical potential.
- The research provides insights into the interactions of ClO with water, considering both electronic states.
Conclusions:
- The developed analytical potentials accurately represent the ClO.H2O complex, including its minima.
- This work enhances the understanding of ClO radical behavior in atmospheric chemistry, particularly concerning its interactions with water.
- The findings are crucial for accurate atmospheric modeling of ozone removal processes.
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