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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2026
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.28628 |
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| _version_ | 1866914608630988800 |
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| author | Dehru, Samiksha Munaro-Langloÿs, Evan Yadav, Aditya Barnowal, Siddhanta Das, Manojit Singh, Harpreet Mukherjee, Jibak Sinha-Roy, Rajarshi Despré, Victor Misra, Deepankar Khan, Arnab |
| author_facet | Dehru, Samiksha Munaro-Langloÿs, Evan Yadav, Aditya Barnowal, Siddhanta Das, Manojit Singh, Harpreet Mukherjee, Jibak Sinha-Roy, Rajarshi Despré, Victor Misra, Deepankar Khan, Arnab |
| contents | We investigate the fragmentation dynamics of methane dication (CH$_4^{2+}$) produced in collisions with 50-MeV C$^{6+}$ ions using the COLTRIMS technique. The method provides complete three-dimensional momentum vectors of the charged fragments, enabling full kinematic reconstruction of the fragmentation process. The dynamics are analyzed using Dalitz plots, Newton diagrams, and the native-frame method to distinguish between concerted and sequential dissociation mechanisms. The data indicate the presence of sequential fragmentation pathways for the CH$_4^{2+}$ $\rightarrow$ CH$_2^+$ + H$^+$ + H, CH$_4^{2+}$ $\rightarrow$ CH$^+$ + H$^+$ + 2H, and CH$_4^{2+}$ $\rightarrow$ C$^+$ + H$^+$ + 3H channels, consistent with dissociation via short-lived dicationic intermediates CH$_3^{2+}$, CH$_2^{2+}$, and CH$^{2+}$, respectively. From the Newton-diagram momentum distributions, we further estimate the half-rotational periods of the intermediate states, providing insight into their rotational dynamics and finite lifetimes prior to fragmentation. The experimental observations are further supported by comparisons with calculated potential-energy curves. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_28628 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Role of Metastable Dicationic Intermediates in the Breakup of CH$_4^{2+}$ Dehru, Samiksha Munaro-Langloÿs, Evan Yadav, Aditya Barnowal, Siddhanta Das, Manojit Singh, Harpreet Mukherjee, Jibak Sinha-Roy, Rajarshi Despré, Victor Misra, Deepankar Khan, Arnab Atomic Physics We investigate the fragmentation dynamics of methane dication (CH$_4^{2+}$) produced in collisions with 50-MeV C$^{6+}$ ions using the COLTRIMS technique. The method provides complete three-dimensional momentum vectors of the charged fragments, enabling full kinematic reconstruction of the fragmentation process. The dynamics are analyzed using Dalitz plots, Newton diagrams, and the native-frame method to distinguish between concerted and sequential dissociation mechanisms. The data indicate the presence of sequential fragmentation pathways for the CH$_4^{2+}$ $\rightarrow$ CH$_2^+$ + H$^+$ + H, CH$_4^{2+}$ $\rightarrow$ CH$^+$ + H$^+$ + 2H, and CH$_4^{2+}$ $\rightarrow$ C$^+$ + H$^+$ + 3H channels, consistent with dissociation via short-lived dicationic intermediates CH$_3^{2+}$, CH$_2^{2+}$, and CH$^{2+}$, respectively. From the Newton-diagram momentum distributions, we further estimate the half-rotational periods of the intermediate states, providing insight into their rotational dynamics and finite lifetimes prior to fragmentation. The experimental observations are further supported by comparisons with calculated potential-energy curves. |
| title | Role of Metastable Dicationic Intermediates in the Breakup of CH$_4^{2+}$ |
| topic | Atomic Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.28628 |