Gallery: Two charges more chemistry

Dr Stephen Price (UCL Chemistry) is part of a UCL team that has developed a piece of experimental apparatus to study the chemistry of dications: molecules that have two positive charges. Recent studies of the layers at the top of the atmospheres of Earth, Mars, Venus and Titan have proposed that such doubly?charged molecules are present in significant numbers and that the chemistry of these energetic species affects the composition of these atmospheric regions. Dr Price explained: 'Most molecules are electrically neutral; they carry no net charge. However, the presence of the two positive charges on a simple molecule makes such species highly energetic, short lived and potentially very reactive.' 'The experiment has to operate at very low pressures to allow us to control the behaviour of these charged species and rapidly observe their chemistry before they fall apart.' Results from the study were published in Chemical Science , the Royal Society of Chemistry journal. The article can be viewed at the top of this page. To view a slideshow of research images, click on the player below and select 'show info' for explanations by Dr Price. Image above: An aurora on Saturn (courtesy of nasaimages.org)