Reactive and inelastic processes in the gas-phase at ultra-low temperatures

This thesis reports the gas-phase kinetic study of reactions between neutral species of astrophysical importance, over a wide range of temperatures, from 295 K down to 15 K. Such extremely low temperatures were provided by the CRESU technique (Cinetique de Reaction en Ecoulement Supersonique Uniforme or Reaction Kinetics in Uniform Supersonic Flow). The kinetics of the reactions of ethynyl radical (C sub 2 H) with oxygen (O sub 2) and unsaturated hydrocarbons (C sub 2 H sub 2 , C sub 2 H sub 4 , C sub 3 H sub 6) has been investigated for the first time down to such extremely low temperatures, using a laser photolysis - chemiluminescence technique. Rate coefficients of the reactions of ground state carbon atom with O sub 2 , NO, C sub 2 H sub 2 , C sub 2 H sub 4 and the two C sub 3 H sub 4 isomers (allene and methyl acetylene) have been measured, using a direct detection technique (laser induced fluorescence). These investigations are of particular interest for the improvement of theoretical models which seek to understand the molecular processes whereby a reaction occurs. This study has aIso accomplished an important step towards the understanding of chemical processes involved in the synthesis of complex molecules in the interstellar medium and in planetary atmospheres where extremely low temperatures prevail