Interstellar Dust-Catalyzed Molecular Hydrogen Formation Enabled by Nuclear Quantum Effects
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arXiv
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| Autori principali: | , , , |
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| Natura: | Preprint |
| Pubblicazione: |
2025
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| _version_ | 1866915616210812928 |
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| author | Yang, Xiaolong Wang, Lile Li, Di Xu, Shenzhen |
| author_facet | Yang, Xiaolong Wang, Lile Li, Di Xu, Shenzhen |
| contents | Molecular hydrogen (H$_2$) plays a critical role in astrophysical processes from galaxy evolution to the formation of planets. While the dominant formation channel in the interstellar medium is considered as dust-catalyzed H$_2$ formation, this process could become inefficient at low temperatures suppressed by the Boltzmann factor. This work demonstrates that quantum tunneling can dominate the formation of H$_2$, resolving the long-standing problem of formation efficiency. Path integral Monte Carlo simulations reveals that the quantum tunneling of hydrogen atoms maintains stable reaction rates at temperatures below 50 K on both graphitic and silicate grain surfaces. Kinetic Monte Carlo calculations further indicate that the actual H$_2$ formation efficiency is governed not by atomic diffusion, but rather by the energy barriers associated with chemisorption, desorption, and the association of two hydrogen atoms. These findings establish a robust physical basis for dust-catalyzed H$_2$ formation, offer quantitative reaction rates for refining astrophysical models, and provide a framework for interpreting observations of interstellar molecular materials. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_25070 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Interstellar Dust-Catalyzed Molecular Hydrogen Formation Enabled by Nuclear Quantum Effects Yang, Xiaolong Wang, Lile Li, Di Xu, Shenzhen Astrophysics of Galaxies Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics Solar and Stellar Astrophysics Chemical Physics Molecular hydrogen (H$_2$) plays a critical role in astrophysical processes from galaxy evolution to the formation of planets. While the dominant formation channel in the interstellar medium is considered as dust-catalyzed H$_2$ formation, this process could become inefficient at low temperatures suppressed by the Boltzmann factor. This work demonstrates that quantum tunneling can dominate the formation of H$_2$, resolving the long-standing problem of formation efficiency. Path integral Monte Carlo simulations reveals that the quantum tunneling of hydrogen atoms maintains stable reaction rates at temperatures below 50 K on both graphitic and silicate grain surfaces. Kinetic Monte Carlo calculations further indicate that the actual H$_2$ formation efficiency is governed not by atomic diffusion, but rather by the energy barriers associated with chemisorption, desorption, and the association of two hydrogen atoms. These findings establish a robust physical basis for dust-catalyzed H$_2$ formation, offer quantitative reaction rates for refining astrophysical models, and provide a framework for interpreting observations of interstellar molecular materials. |
| title | Interstellar Dust-Catalyzed Molecular Hydrogen Formation Enabled by Nuclear Quantum Effects |
| topic | Astrophysics of Galaxies Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics Solar and Stellar Astrophysics Chemical Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.25070 |