Off-lattice microscopic Monte Carlo modelling of molecular hydrogen formation on carbonaceous dust grains

ABSTRACT In this work, we present an off-lattice Monte Carlo model of accretion and migration of hydrogen atoms on a rough surface of carbon dust grain. The migration of physisorbed atoms by means of thermal diffusion and quantum tunnelling through barriers between the surface potential minima is considered. The model is applied to simulations of molecular hydrogen formation in a cold interstellar medium for a temperature range 5–35 K. Eley–Rideal and Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanisms for the formation of the H$_2$ molecule were taken into account. We found that the surface potential energy minima that hold the accreted hydrogen atoms (binding energy) has wide dispersion of its values. The minimum energy is three times smaller than the maximum energy for the uneven surface of the model grain. The large dispersion of the binding energies results in an extended range of temperatures where H$_2$ formation is efficient: 5–25 K. The dispersion of binding energies also reduces efficiency of diffusion due to tunnelling in comparison to that assumed in kinetic equation codes in which constant values of binding energies are employed. Thus, thermal hopping is the main source for the mobility of the hydrogen atoms in the presented off-lattice model. Finally, the model naturally provides the mean values for the ratio of binding-to-desorption energy. This ratio demonstrates weak dependence on temperature and is in the range of 0.5–0.6.