Experimental and theoretical study of the chemical processes in the planetary atmospheres

Three missions investigating atmospheres of bodies in the Solar system are currently in progress. Cassini probe started its research in 2005, MAVEN probe sent its first data from Mars in 2015, and Juno is to enter Jovian orbit in July 2016. Existing data confirm that complex physical and chemical processes, which were not satisfactorily understood and explained, occur in investigated ionospheres (formation of complex nitrogen containing hydrocarbon anions in Titan's atmosphere, unexpected concentration of HNO⁺, HO²⁺, H₂O⁺, H₃O⁺ in Martian atmosphere, observations of organic compounds in Jovian atmosphere). For that reason, we propose a project which is to study possible chemical processes in the above mentioned planetary atmospheres at relevant temperatures. Complementary experimental and theoretical techniques will be used in order to investigate chemical reactions of ions with molecules, one of which (VT-SIFT MS) was developed within the scope of previous project at the researcher's workplace.