PhD OR POSTDOC POSITION IN THEORETICAL MOLECULAR ASTROPHYSICS
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                   LEIDEN, THE NETHERLANDS

A 4-year PhD or a 2-year postdoc position is available in a joint project
of the Theory Group of the Leiden Institute of Chemistry (Dr. M.C. van Hemert
and Dr. G.-J. Kroes) and the Molecular Astrophysics Group at the Leiden
Observatory (Prof.Dr. E.F.  van Dishoeck).

The project involves the studies of the radiative association and dissociative
recombination processes.

In radiative association, two atoms or molecules combine to form a
single new molecule by releasing their excess energy through photons.
Radiative association is an essential process for the formation of
molecules at low pressures, such as found in interstellar clouds. An
important example within astrochemistry is the radiative association
of a positively charged carbon ion with molecular hydrogen. This
reaction is assumed to drive the entire carbon chemistry in
interstellar space. The development of new techniques for an accurate
description of this process is a challenge.

In dissociative recombination a positive molecular ion catches an electron
and releases the excess energy by fragmentation.  Molecules for which
dissociative recombination will be investigated are astrophysically
and/or atmospherically important polyatomic ions, in particular CH2+,
H2O+ and H3O+. The focus will be on the branching ratios for the products
of the dissociative recombination process

In both studies high level ab initio (Multi-Reference Configuration Interaction
or MRCI) methods will be used to obtain potential energy surfaces
The nuclear motion towards association or dissociation on these surfaces
will be followed with wave packet dynamics, taking into account non-adiabatic
couplings between these surfaces when necessary.

The starting date of the position is anytime after August 1, 2002.

Scientists with a Degree in Chemistry, Physics, or numerical Mathematics who
are interested in molecular quantum mechanics and have experience with
numerical methods and computer programming are asked to apply. For a
postdoc the total salary (before taxes) will be between 2477 and
4170 Euros per month, depending on experience. For a PhD student the
salary is 1445 Euros in the first year, increasing to 2063 Euros in the
final year.

If interested, please send a letter and CV by airmail or FAX to the
below address, and arrange for two letters of recommendation, to be
sent as well to the below address (please use normal mail or FAX,
not e-mail). The deadline for receiving letters and CV is July 15, 2002.


M.C. van Hemert ([log in to unmask])
LIC
Gorlaeus Laboratoria
Rijksuniversiteit Leiden
Postbus 9502
2300 RA Leiden
The Netherlands

(Tel +31 71 527 4244, Fax +31 71 527 4488)

Information on the theory group can be found on
                     rulgla.leidenuniv.nl
Information on the molecular astrophysics group is in
                     www.strw.leidenuniv.nl/~ewine