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Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Photoelectron Imaging of Anions Illustrated by 310 Nm Detachment of F−
Published on: July 27, 2018
Formation of CN^{-}, C_{3}N^{-}, and C_{5}N^{-} Molecules by Radiative Electron Attachment and their Destruction by
Marjan Khamesian1, Nicolas Douguet2, Samantha Fonseca Dos Santos2
1Department of Physics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32816, USA.
Abstract:
The existence of negative ions in interstellar clouds has been associated for several decades with the process of radiative electron attachment. In this Letter, we report compelling evidence supporting the fact that the radiative attachment of a low-energy electron is inefficient to form the carbon chain anions CN^{-}, C_{3}N^{-}, and C_{5}N^{-} detected in interstellar clouds. The validity of the approach is confirmed by good agreement with experimental data obtained for the inverse photodetachment process, which represents the major cause of anion destruction in interstellar space. As a consequence, we suggest alternative models that could explain the formation of anions.
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