Water Buckyball Terahertz Vibrations in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Cosmology

Abstract

Pentagonal dodecahedral buckyball-like water clusters and arrays thereof are shown from first-principles electronic-structure calculations to possess unique terahertz vibrational modes in the 1-6 THz range, corresponding to oxygen-oxygen-oxygen bending and twisting surface distortions of the clusters. In their excited electronic states these water clusters constitute a form of Rydberg matter. Applications to Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Cosmology are described.