Quantenmechanical Aspects of Astrochemistry

                 Prof. Dr. Stephan Schlemmer

                   Physikalisches Institut         
                     Universität zu Köln                   - 

A large number of astrophysically observed molecules point at a rich chemistry
in the interstellar medium (ISM), even in cold molecular clouds. Experiments in
trap apparatus demonstrate that ion molecule reaction play an essential role.
Selected examples are used in this presentation to show that at the low
temperatures of the ISM simple quantum mechanical aspects like zero point
energy, tunnel effect, and the conservation of nuclear spin are of crucial
importance. Because of these reasons, e.g. deuterated molecules are enriched up
to twelve orders of magnitude. Many of those phenomena are not fully explained
to date. Laser experiments like those at FELIX shall help to solve the
mysteries.