Prof. Stefan Vogt-Geisse Completes Productive Research Stay at the University of Leeds

Prof. Stefan Vogt-Geisse recently completed a extended research stay at the University of Leeds, collaborating with Prof. Catherine Walsh and Dr. Aneesa Ahmad at the School of Physics and Astronomy. The primary goal of his visit was to integrate ab initio binding energy data from his research group into astrochemical models developed by Dr. Walsh. These models describe the chemistry of protoplanetary disks, providing crucial insights into the physical and chemical conditions that shape planetary system formation. High-quality binding energy data is essential for accurately modeling molecular adsorption and desorption on dust grains, processes that directly impact the chemical composition of protoplanetary disks. Without precise binding energies, astrochemical models cannot correctly predict the abundances of key molecules, affecting our understanding of disk chemistry and planet-forming environments. This collaboration aimed to refine the accuracy of these models by incorporating state-of-the-art binding energy data obtained through computational methods.

The stay proved highly productive, leading to several new research projects and collaborations that emerged from their joint work. Additionally, Dr. Vogt-Geisse successfully finalized a new version of the Binding Energy Evaluation Platform (BEEP)—an automated framework designed to obtain binding energy data on interstellar ices. The updated version is now available on the QCMM GitHub repository (BEEP on GitHub). By streamlining the process of computing binding energies, BEEP provides a valuable tool for astrochemists seeking to improve models of molecular interactions in astrophysical environments.

This research stay has further strengthened international collaborations and positioned BEEP as an essential tool for the astrochemistry community, paving the way for more accurate predictions of molecular processes in protoplanetary disks.