MRCC is a package of ab initio and density functional quantum chemistry programs for accurate electronic structure calculations. The suite has efficient implementations of both low- and high-level correlation methods, such as second-order Møller–Plesset (MP2), random-phase approximation (RPA), second-order algebraic-diagrammatic construction [ADC(2)], coupled-cluster (CC), configuration interaction (CI), and related techniques. It has a state-of-the-art CC singles and doubles with perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] code, and its specialties, the arbitrary-order iterative and perturbative CC methods developed by automated programming tools, enable achieving convergence with regard to the level of correlation. The package also offers a collection of multi-reference CC and CI approaches. Efficient implementations of density functional theory (DFT) and more advanced combined DFT-wave function approaches are also available. Its other special features, the highly competitive linear-scaling local correlation schemes, allow for MP2, RPA, ADC(2), CCSD(T), and higher-order CC calculations for extended systems. Local correlation calculations can be considerably accelerated by multi-level approximations and DFT-embedding techniques, and an interface to molecular dynamics software is provided for quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations. All components of MRCC support shared-memory parallelism, and multi-node parallelization is also available for various methods. For academic purposes, the package is available free of charge.

Landfill sites are responsible for 6-12% of global methane emission. Methanotrophs play a very important role in decreasing landfill site methane emissions. We investigated the methane oxidation capacity and methanotroph diversity in lysimeters simulating landfill sites with different plant vegetations. Methane oxidation rates were 35 g methane m-2 day-1 or higher for planted lysimeters and 18 g methane m-2 day-1 or less for bare soil controls. Best methane oxidation, as displayed by gas depth profiles, was found under a vegetation of grass and alfalfa. Methanotroph communities were analysed at high throughput and resolution using a microbial diagnostic microarray targeting the particulate methane monooxygenase (pmoA) gene of methanotrophs and functionally related bacteria. Members of the genera Methylocystis and Methylocaldum were found to be the dominant members in landfill site simulating lysimeters. Soil bacterial communities in biogas free control lysimeters, which were less abundant in methanotrophs, were dominated by Methylocaldum. Type Ia methanotrophs were found only in the top layers of bare soil lysimeters with relatively high oxygen and low methane concentrations. A competetive advantage of type II methanotrophs over type Ia methanotrophs was indicated under all plant covers investigated. Analysis of average and individual results from parallel samples was used to identify general trends and variations in methanotroph community structures in relation to depth, methane supply and plant cover. The applicability of the technology for the detection of environmental perturbations was proven by an erroneous result, where an unexpected community composition detected with the microarray indicated a potential gas leakage in the lysimeter being investigated.

High-precision quantum chemical calculations have been performed for atmospherically important halomethane derivatives including CF, CF(3), CHF(2), CH(2)F, CF(2), CF(4), CHF, CHF(3), CH(3)F, CH(2)F(2), CCl, CCl(3), CHCl(2), CH(2)Cl, CCl(2), CCl(4), CHCl, CHCl(3), CH(3)Cl, CH(2)Cl(2), CHFCl, CF(2)Cl, CFCl(2), CFCl, CFCl(3), CF(2)Cl(2), CF(3)Cl, CHFCl(2), CHF(2)Cl, and CH(2)FCl. Theoretical estimates for the standard enthalpy of formation at 0 and 298.15 K as well as for the entropy at 298.15 K are presented. The determined values are mostly within the experimental uncertainty where accurate experimental results are available, while for the majority of the considered heat of formation and entropy values the present results represent the best available estimates.

An effective one-electron quantum chemical method was applied to enumerate the conformers of unbranched aliphatic alkanes. The results obtained for butane, pentane, hexane, and heptane were utilized to derive four rules with which the number and sequences of the existing conformers up to undecane could be reproduced. The validity of the rules was confirmed at Hartree-Fock and second-order Moeller-Plesset levels too. Full ab initio conformational analyses were performed for the butane, pentane, hexane, heptane, and octane molecules. The rules demonstrate that the most important factors governing the conformational behavior of unbranched aliphatic alkanes are the nonbonded repulsive-attractive (van der Waals) interactions between the hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon atoms at positions 1,4; 1,5; 1,6; and 1,7. The calculated gasphase standard heats of formation of the unbranched aliphatic alkanes closely matched the experimental values.

Imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence (iPEPICO) spectroscopy on isolated water molecules and water dimers establishes a new route to determining the water proton affinity (PA)