Research in the Physical Chemistry division is very wide-ranging and includes both experiment and theory. Sophisticated techniques such as high-resolution spectroscopy and mass spectrometry are used to probe the molecular structure of metal ions, clusters and large biomolecules, as well as the reactions of interstellar clouds and those involved with atmospheric pollution. Computational chemistry interfaces closely with experiment allowing structures and energetics of molecules to be predicted. Computational tools are used to study systems which are otherwise difficult to examine, including soot formation in combustion and DNA nucleotides and base pairs in the gas phase.
