Ionization of water clusters by collision with surface

Abstract

New results of the investigations of the phenomenon of the ion formation and separation at the neutral water cluster scattering by solid surface are reported. First, molecular dynamics simulation has shown the possibility of polar dissociation of water molecules in (H2O)n cluster with n = 34 and 64 during their impact with a rigid surface. Second, the current of ions rebound from target and the current to the target at scattering of (H2O)n clusters (up to n = 50000) by various targets are measured. Third, we have measured the water-cluster-induced electrification of the electric field mill sensor, which has been used for the rocket measurement of mesospheric electric field structure in the vicinity of noctilucent clouds (NLC). A comparison between these and rocket measurements shows that the fluctuations of the field mill signal detected when a rocket was passing the NLC layer is a result of the impact of NLC particles on the field mill electrodes.