Chemical Physics

Though many within JILA’s community approach our understanding of the universe through a physics lens, graduate student Lane Terry applies a chemist’s perspective. In the laboratory of JILA fellow Mathias Weber, Terry uses cryogenic ion vibrational spectroscopy to isolate and probe molecular ions, revealing unique characteristics.

JILA Fellow and University of Colorado Physics Professor Heather Lewandowski's novel research has recently been showcased in Space Daily. The article, penned by Clarence Oxford, delves into Lewandowski's innovative experiments with cold Coulomb crystals to explore the chemical dynamics of the Interstellar Medium (ISM)—a complex blend of atoms, ions, and molecules that fill the space between stars.