Probing the low-temperature rotational population of H2D+

The gas phase exchange reactions of isotopologues of H+3 with isotopologues of H2 are responsible for the observed deuteration in low-temperature interstellar clouds. At the prevailing cryogenic temperatures many quantum effects, as zero-point vibrational energies, large rotational level spacings and nuclear spin effects become important. In order to understand the processes on a level-to-level basis, experiments in a 22-pole ion trap are carried out accompanied by microcanonical simulations. In particular, the method of laser induced reaction (LIR) is applied to probe the four lowest rotational levels of H2D+.