Professor Kelly is being supported by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program in spectroscopic studies of small to intermediate size organic radicals. The spectroscopic data will be used to characterize the structure and dynamics of various radicals important as intermediates in combustion processes. The radicals are formed in an atmospheric pressure flow by photodissociation of precursor molecules and are characterized using time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy using far ultraviolet radiation. Initial work will concentrate on the spectroscopic characterization of vibrational structure and excited state dynamics in simple radicals, such as the methyl, allyl, cyclopropyl, methylene, cyanomethyl, ethyl, and tertiary butyl radicals.
