Torsional path integral Monte Carlo method for calculating the absolute quantum free energy of large molecules

A new technique for evaluating the absolute free energy of large molecules is presented. Quantum-mechanical contributions to the intramolecular torsions are included via the torsional path integral Monte Carlo (TPIMC) technique. Importance sampling schemes based on uncoupled free rotors and harmonic oscillators facilitate the use of the TPIMC technique for the direct evaluation of quantum partition functions. Absolute free energies are calculated for the molecules ethane, n-butane, n-octane, and enkephalin, and quantum contributions are found to be significant. Comparison of the TPIMC technique with the harmonic oscillator approximation and a variational technique is performed for the ethane molecule. For all molecules, the quantum contributions to free energy are found to be significant but slightly smaller than the quantum contributions to internal energy

Torsional path integral Monte Carlo method for the quantum simulation of large molecules

A molecular application is introduced for calculating quantum statistical mechanical expectation values of large molecules at nonzero temperatures. The Torsional Path Integral Monte Carlo (TPIMC) technique applies an uncoupled winding number formalism to the torsional degrees of freedom in molecular systems. The internal energy of the molecules ethane, n-butane, n-octane, and enkephalin are calculated at standard temperature using the TPIMC technique and compared to the expectation values obtained using the harmonic oscillator approximation and a variational technique. All studied molecules exhibited significant quantum mechanical contributions to their internal energy expectation values according to the TPIMC technique. The harmonic oscillator approximation approach to calculating the internal energy performs well for the molecules presented in this study but is limited by its neglect of both anharmonicity effects and the potential coupling of intramolecular torsion

Soot Formation During Pyrolysis of Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Modeling, Shock-Tube, Acetylene, Butadiene).

A study combining experimental, empirical modeling, and detailed modeling techniques has been conducted to develop a better understanding of the chemical reactions involved in soot formation during the high-temperature pyrolysis of aromatic and other unsaturated hydrocarbons. The experiments were performed behind reflected shock waves in a conventional shock-tube with soot formation monitored via attenuation of a laser beam at 633nm. Soot-formation measurements were conducted with toluene-argon and benzene-argon mixtures. Detailed kinetic models of soot formation were developed for pyrolyzing acetylene, butadiene, ethylene and benzene. The computational results indicate the importance of compact, fused polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as soot intermediates and the importance of the reactivation of these intermediates by hydrogen atoms to form aromatic radicals. The overshoot by hydrogen atoms of their equilibrium concentration provides a driving kinetic force for soot formation. The results with ethylene and butadiene indicate that acetylene is an important growth species for soot formation for these fuels. The benzene model suggests that reactions between aromatic species may be important for soot formation from aromatic fuels

Collision-induced conformational changes in glycine

We present quantum dynamical calculations on the conformational changes of glycine in collisions with the He, Ne, and Ar rare-gas atoms. For two conformer interconversion processes (III-->I and IV-->I), we find that the probability of interconversion is dependent on several factors, including the energy of the collision, the angle at which the colliding atom approaches the glycine molecule, and the strength of the glycine-atom interaction. Furthermore, we show that attractive interactions between the colliding atom and the glycine molecule catalyze conformer interconversion at low collision energies. In previous infrared spectroscopy studies of glycine trapped in rare-gas matrices and helium clusters, conformer III has been consistently observed, but conformer IV has yet to be conclusively detected. Because of the calculated thermodynamic stability of conformer IV, its elusiveness has been attributed to the IV-->I conformer interconversion process. However, our calculations present little indication that IV-->I interconversion occurs more readily than III-->I interconversion. Although we cannot determine whether conformer IV interconverts during experimental Ne- and Ar-matrix depositions, our evidence suggests that the conformer should be present in helium droplets. Anharmonic vibrational frequency calculations illustrate that previous efforts to detect conformer IV may have been hindered by the overlap of its IR-absorption bands with those of other conformers. We propose that the redshifted symmetric –CH2 stretch of conformer IV provides a means for its conclusive experimental detection

Global Journalist: The future of Voice of America

On this program, journalists discussed what's going on with Voice of America and the future of the organization. Host: Levi Moltz-Hohmann. Guests: David Ensor, Danforth Austin, Vardha Khalil, Grayson Clary. Producers: Cam Denmark, Regan Mertz, Annie Le, Ziye Tang. Directors: Travis McMillen. Audio Engineer: Aaron Hay