Understanding the fundamentals of radiation damage

In their recent publication in Science Advances, the team around Prof. Hans Jakob Wörner describes their findings of real-time observations of the very first steps in the light-induced cleavage of water, so-called radiolysis. This primary process is very important, since it is responsible for most of the radiation damage to living organisms, e.g. during exposure to UV radiation. In their study, they were able to show for the first time how and on which time scales this process takes place, and how electron and nuclear motion interact in the formation of freely moving electrons. These “solvated” electrons are created through one-photon excitation of very small clusters of about 400 water molecules and detected through imaging detection of the emitted photoelectrons. The new findings will help the understanding and mitigation of radiation damage, as well as optimizing electron-induced chemical and photocatalytic processes.