Publications by authors named "B N Rajasekhar"

In this work, we present a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of the vibrational spectra of PAH molecules recently detected in the interstellar medium: 1-cyanonaphthalene and 2-cyanonaphthalene. The room temperature IR spectra of 1- and 2-cyanonaphthalene in the region 100-3100 cm and their vibrational Raman spectra in the region 35-3100 cm are reported here for the first time. A detailed spectral analysis is carried out using quantum chemical calculations employing the DFT methodology.

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This study assesses the risk due to Emerging Contaminants (ECs), present in Indian rivers - Ganga (650 million inhabitants), Yamuna (57 million inhabitants), and Musi (7,500,000 inhabitants), 13 ECs in total, have been used for risk assessment studies. Their concentrations (e.g.

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We report here investigations on conformational effects in the vibrational and electronic spectra of the propionaldehyde (propanal) molecule using FTIR (600-3200 cm-1) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) synchrotron radiation photoabsorption (52 500-85 000 cm-1) spectroscopy respectively. Detailed theoretical calculations (using DFT and TDDFT methodologies) on ground and excited states of the cis and gauche conformers of propanal are performed; a comprehensive spectral analysis of the IR and VUV spectra is presented. A reinvestigation of the IR spectrum reveals several new bands assigned to the gauche conformer based on theoretical calculations.

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Many icy bodies in the solar system have been found to contain a rich mixture of simple molecules on their surfaces. Similarly, comets are now known to be a reservoir of molecules ranging from water to amides. The processing of planetary/cometary ices leads to the synthesis of more complex molecules some of which may be the harbingers of life.

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Article Synopsis
  • Research suggests that impacts from comets could have delivered prebiotic compounds to early Earth, potentially leading to the beginnings of life.
  • Experiments involving hypervelocity impacts on icy mixtures of amino acids showed that shock processing can synthesize complex molecules, like polypeptide chains.
  • The findings imply that impacts on icy celestial bodies could create essential building blocks for life, not only on Earth but also on other planets.
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