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The profile of the 11.2 μm feature of the infrared (IR) cascade emission spectra of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules is investigated using a vibrational anharmonic method. Several factors are found to affect the profile including: the energy of the initially absorbed ultraviolet (UV) photon, the density of vibrational states, the anharmonic nature of the vibrational modes, the relative intensities of the vibrational modes, the rotational temperature of the molecule, and blending with nearby features. Each of these factors is explored independently and influence either the red or blue wing of the 11.2 μm feature. The majority impact solely the red wing, with the only factor altering the blue wing being the rotational temperature.

The growth mechanisms of organic molecules in an ionizing environment such as the interstellar medium are not completely understood. Here we examine by means of ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations and density functional theory (DFT) computations the possibility of bond formation and molecular growth upon ionization of van der Waals clusters of pure HCN clusters, and mixed clusters of HCN and HCCH, both of which are widespread in the interstellar medium. Ionization of van der Waals clusters can potentially lead to growth in low temperature and low-density environments. Our results show, that upon ionization of the pure HCN clusters, strongly bound stable structures are formed that contain NH bonds, and growth beyond pairwise HCN molecules is seen only in a small percentage of cases. In contrast, mixed clusters, where HCCH is preferentially ionized over HCN, can grow up to 3 or 4 units long with new carbon-carbon and carbon-nitrogen covalent bonds. Moreover, cyclic molecules formed, such as the radical cation of pyridine, which is a prebiotic molecule. The results presented here are significant as they provide a feasible pathway for molecular growth of small organic molecules containing both carbon and nitrogen in cold and relatively denser environments such as in dense molecular clouds but closer to the photo-dissociation regions, and protoplanetary disks. In the mechanism we propose, first, a neutral van der Waals cluster is formed. Once the cluster is formed it can undergo photoionization which leads to chemical reactivity without any reaction barrier.

Nitrogen-containing ions and molecules in the gas phase have been detected in non-Earth environments such as dark molecular clouds and more recently in the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan. These molecules may serve as precursors to larger heterocyclic structures that provide the foundation of complex biological molecules. On Titan, molecules of m/z 66 have been detected by the Cassini mission, and species of the empirical formula C4H4N may contribute to this signature. We have characterized seven isomers of C4H4N in anionic, neutral radical, and cationic states using density functional theory. Structures were optimized using the range-separated hybrid ωB97X-V with the cc-pVTZ and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets. Anionic and radical C4H4N favor cyclic structures with aromatic and quasi-aromatic electron arrangements, respectively. Interestingly, ionization from the radical surface to the cation induces significant changes in structural stability, and the global minimum for positively charged isomers is CH2CCHCNH+, a pseudo-linear species reminiscent of cyanoallene. Select formation pathways to these structures from Titan's existing or postulated gas-phase species, reactions that are also relevant for other astrophysical environments, are discussed. By characterizing C4H4N isomers, we have identified energetically stable anionic, radical, and cationic structures that may be present in Titan's atmosphere and dark molecular clouds.

We are now on a clear trajectory for improvements in exoplanet observationsthat will revolutionize our ability to characterize their atmosphericstructure, composition, and circulation, from gas giants to rocky planets.However, exoplanet atmospheric models capable of interpreting the upcomingobservations are often limited by insufficiencies in the laboratory andtheoretical data that serve as critical inputs to atmospheric physical andchemical tools. Here we provide an up-to-date and condensed description ofareas where laboratory and/or ab initio investigations could fill critical gapsin our ability to model exoplanet atmospheric opacities, clouds, and chemistry,building off a larger 2016 white paper, and endorsed by the NAS ExoplanetScience Strategy report. Now is the ideal time for progress in these areas, butthis progress requires better access to, understanding of, and training in theproduction of spectroscopic data as well as a better insight into chemicalreaction kinetics both thermal and radiation-induced at a broad range oftemperatures. Given that most published efforts have emphasized relativelyEarth-like conditions, we can expect significant and enlightening discoveriesas emphasis moves to the exotic atmospheres of exoplanets.

The infrared (IR) emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) permeates our universe; astronomers have detected the IR signatures of PAHs around many interstellar objects. The IR emission of interstellar PAHs differs from their emission as seen under conditions on Earth as they emit through a collisionless cascade down through their excited vibrational states from high internal energies. The difficulty in reproducing interstellar conditions in the laboratory results in a reliance on theoretical techniques. However, the size and complexity of PAHs require careful consideration when producing the theoretical spectra. In this work, we outline the theoretical methods necessary to lead to fully theoretical IR cascade spectra of PAHs including: an anharmonic second order vibrational perturbation theory treatment, the inclusion of Fermi resonances through polyads, and the calculation of anharmonic temperature band shifts and broadenings (including resonances) through a Wang-Landau approach. We also suggest a simplified scheme to calculate vibrational emission spectra that retain the essential characteristics of the full IR cascade treatment and can directly transform low temperature absorption spectra in IR cascade spectra. Additionally we show that past astronomical models were in error in assuming a 15 cm-1 correction was needed to account for anharmonic emission effects.

Aims. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is a powerful tool to study molecules in space. A key issue in such analyses is understanding the effect that temperature and anharmonicity have on different vibrational bands, and thus interpreting the IR spectra for molecules under various conditions.Methods. We combined second order vibrational perturbation theory and the Wang-Landau random walk technique to produce accurate IR spectra of highly excited polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. We fully incorporated anharmonic effects, such as resonances, overtones, combination bands, and temperature effects.Results. The results are validated against experimental results for the pyrene molecule (C16H10). In terms of positions, widths, and relative intensities of the vibrational bands, our calculated spectra are in excellent agreement with gas-phase experimental data.

We investigated the formation mechanisms of the nucleobases adenine and guanine and the nucleobase analogues hypoxanthine, xanthine, isoguanine, and 2,6-diaminopurine in a UV-irradiated mixed 10:1 H2O:NH3 ice seeded with precursor purine by using ab initio and density functional theory computations. Our quantum chemical investigations suggest that a multistep reaction mechanism involving purine cation, hydroxyl and amino radicals, together with water and ammonia, explains the experimentally obtained products in an independent study. The relative abundances of these products appear to largely follow from relative thermodynamic stabilities. The key role of the purine cation is likely to be the reason why purine is not functionalized in pure ammonia ice, where cations are promptly neutralized by free electrons from NH3 ionization. Amine group addition to purine is slightly favored over hydroxyl group attachment based on energetics, but hydroxyl is much more abundant due to higher abundance of H2O. The amino group is preferentially attached to the 6 position, giving 6-aminopurine, that is, adenine, while the hydroxyl group is preferentially attached to the 2 position, leading to 2-hydroxypurine. A second substitution by hydroxyl or amino group occurs at either the 6 or the 2 position depending on the first substitution. Given that H2O is far more abundant than NH3 in the experimentally studied ices (as well as based on interstellar abundances), xanthine and isoguanine are expected to be the most abundant bi-substituted photoproducts. Key Words: Astrophysical ice-Abiotic organic synthesis-Nucleic acids-Origin of life-RNA world. Astrobiology 17, 771-785.

The synergy between high-resolution rotational spectroscopy and quantum-chemical calculations is essential for exploring future detection of molecules, especially when spectroscopy parameters are not available yet. By using highly correlated ab initio quartic force fields (QFFs) from explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory, a complete set of rotational constants and centrifugal distortion constants for $ {D2CS} $ D 2 CS and cis/trans-DCSD isomers have been produced. Comparing our new ab initio results for $ {D_2CS} $ D 2 CS with new rotational spectroscopy laboratory data for the same species, the accuracy of the computed B and C rotational constants is within 0.1% while the A constant is only slightly higher. Additionally, quantum chemical vibrational frequencies are also provided, and these spectral reference data and new experimental rotational lines will provide additional references for potential observation of these deuterated sulfur species with either ground-based radio telescopes or space-based infrared observatories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate binding energies of molecules to water clusters are relevant for understanding intermolecular interactions and various chemical applications. They enter models of interstellar chemical processes, as binding to icy grains influences surface reactions and thus affects calculated gas-phase abundances. Unfortunately, many astrochemical molecules (especially radicals and ions) are incompletely characterised in these models. To address this, we report computational searches for optimal structures and benchmark binding and condensation energies for sets of neutral, radical, cationic, and anionic molecules of astrochemical relevance with clusters of $ N=1{\rm -}4 $ N = 1 − 4 water molecules. These calculations utilised reliable density functionals for geometry optimisation, and coupled cluster (CCSD(T)) single point calculations with large basis sets. Four energetic binding motifs (weak, intermediate, strong or covalently bonded) were observed depending on the chemical nature of the guest molecule. Neutral closed and open-shell molecules with strong dipoles and a greater potential for hydrogen bonding are more tightly bound to water clusters compared to non-polar ones. For closed-shell cationic and anionic species, barrier-less reactions with water clusters occur, which reveals radical-free routes to molecular processing in the gas phase and on amorphous ice surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To facilitate the data analysis of current and future high-resolution space telescope missions, we adopt 'Best Theory + Reliable High-resolution Experiment' (BTRHE) strategy to develop highly accurate infrared line lists for nitrous oxide (N2O). The 'Ames-1' potential energy surface (PES) is a CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVQZ PES refined using selected HITRAN experimental data, with σrms = 0.02–0.03 cm-1 for five isotopologues. The 'Ames-1' dipole moment surface (DMS) is fitted from CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pV(T,Q,5)Z dipoles extrapolated to one electron basis set limit. Using the Ames-1 PES and DMS, Ames-296K line lists are computed in the full range of 0–15,000 cm-1 for 12 N2O isotopologues, with S296K ≥ 10−31 cm-1/molecule.cm-2. The reliability and consistency of Ames-296K intensity predictions (SAmes) are demonstrated through comparisons with HITRAN (SHITRAN), NOSL-296 (SNOSL), recent observed intensities (Sobs) and Effective Dipole Model (EDM) intensities (SEDM). Agreements and discrepancies are discussed, along with preliminary uncertainty estimate for SAmes. The SAmes provides a good constraint to prevent substantial errors in intensity predictions (e.g. for weak bands and minor isotopologues) and can be further improved. Ames-296K and NOSL-296 may complement each other to provide improved input for future database updates, combining the strengths of EH/EDM and BTRHE approaches. Data available at and https://doi.org/10.48667/9kmk-0334. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the influence of social support from intermediary organizations on innovativeness and subjective happiness in community-based tourism (CBT). The authors collected data from 236 residents who had participated in the Tour Dure project in South Korea. The analysis, using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), shows that social support from intermediary organizations has a positive effect on the innovativeness of residents. Further, the more innovativeness the residents showed, the more their subjective happiness increased. In other words, social support from intermediary organizations plays an important role in improving innovativeness, and in turn, the subjective happiness of residents. There have been many claims that resident participation is important in CBT, but it has usually been treated as a slogan without offering specific proposals for boosting such participation. This study discovered that the social support given by intermediary organizations to residents plays an important role in innovativeness and subjective happiness. It also shows that it is effective to encourage residents' participation in CBT by offering social support from intermediary organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of the five main isomers of C6H3(+) was investigated using quantum chemical calculations. The cyclic isomers are stabilized by two complementary aromatic effects, first 6-electron π aromaticity, and second a more unusual three-center two-electron σ aromaticity. Two cyclic isomers sit at the bottom of the potential energy surface with energies very close to each other, with a third cyclic isomer slightly higher. The reaction barriers for the interconversion of these isomers, as well as to convert to low-energy linear isomers, are found to be very high with transition states that break both the π and the σ aromaticities. Finally, possibilities for forming the cyclic isomers via association reactions are discussed.

The stability of the five main isomers of C6H3(+) was investigated using quantum chemical calculations. The cyclic isomers are stabilized by two complementary aromatic effects, first 6-electron π aromaticity, and second a more unusual three-center two-electron σ aromaticity. Two cyclic isomers sit at the bottom of the potential energy surface with energies very close to each other, with a third cyclic isomer slightly higher. The reaction barriers for the interconversion of these isomers, as well as to convert to low-energy linear isomers, are found to be very high with transition states that break both the π and the σ aromaticities. Finally, possibilities for forming the cyclic isomers via association reactions are discussed.

This study investigated the characteristics of markets segmented by the push–pull factors associated with medical tourists. The questionnaire sought information on attributes of medical tourism motivations and included eight push factor attributes, 10 pull factor attributes, and 13 demographic and medical tourism behavior variables, for a total of 31 items. The surveys were translated into Chinese, Japanese, and English. This paper proposes a market segmentation that consists of three significant segments, the quality seeker, the essential services seeker, and the rest seeker. The results indicate that these segments have strategic implications for reaching individual markets in the medical tourism industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the relationships between motivation, service quality, tourist satisfaction, quality of life (QOL), and spa and wellness tourism. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM) approach was used to analyze the hypotheses generated. The 'snowball' sampling technique was used to collect data via an online survey. Derived from a sample of 270 Chinese respondents, the results demonstrate that motivations positively impact service quality perception and tourist satisfaction, which in turn influence QOL. The tourists who perceived good spa and wellness services quality are more likely to be satisfied with their tourism experience. Furthermore, tourist satisfaction mediates the relationship between service quality and the QOL resulting from spa and wellness tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied relative energies, structures, rotational, vibrational, and electronic spectra of the pyrylium cation, an oxygen-containing six-membered carbocyclic ring, and its six isomers, using ab initio quantum chemical methods. Isoelectronic with benzene, the pyrylium cation has a benzenoid structure and is the global minimum on the singlet potential energy surface of C5H5O(+). The second lowest energy isomer, the furfuryl cation, has a five membered backbone akin to a sugar, and is only 16 kcal mol(-1) above the global minimum computed using coupled cluster theory with singles, doubles, and perturbative triple excitations (CCSD(T)) with the correlation consistent cc-pVTZ basis set. Other isomers are 25, 26, 37, 60, and 65 kcal mol(-1) above the global minimum, respectively, at the same level of theory. Lower level methods such as density functional theory (B3LYP) and second order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory performed well when tested against the CCSD(T) results. The pyrylium and furfuryl cations, although separated by only 16 kcal mol(-1), are not easily interconverted, as multiple bonds must be broken and formed, and the existence of more than one transition state is likely. Additionally, we have also investigated the asymptotes for the barrierless ion-molecule association of molecules known to exist in the interstellar medium that may lead to formation of the pyrylium cation.

This study aims to advance the theoretical understanding of the contextual antecedents underlying abusive supervision. It provides a fresh perspective on how subordinates' perceptions of an abusive supervision climate are shaped in temporary work environments. By developing a robust model, this research examines the relationships between temporary organizational characteristics (i.e., temporariness and membership flexibility), trust in ad-hoc supervisors, and perceived abusive supervision climates. We tested the hypothesized model using data from 340 aircrew engaged in temporary and constantly shifting supervisor–subordinate relationships. The results revealed that: (a) temporariness has a direct negative relationship with trust in ad-hoc supervisors, whereas membership flexibility positively affects this trust; (b) the link between temporariness/membership flexibility and a perceived abusive supervision climate is mediated by trust in ad-hoc supervisors. Furthermore, this study highlights gender interactions in a transactional context, indicating that: (c) females perceive a stronger negative association between trust and abusive supervision climates compared to males; and (d) the relationship between temporariness/membership flexibility and trust in ad-hoc supervisors is significant for women and men, respectively. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of considering the unique organizational characteristics of temporary work settings when examining abusive supervision. It also emphasizes the role of gender in shaping subordinates' perceptions of a workplace victimization climate, particularly in situations where leader–member exchanges are ephemeral and contractual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]