Cluster collisions of water tetramers: a classical dynamical study

The collision of two water tetramers is investigated with classical molecul ar dynamics and an empirical potential function. Varying the impact paramet er, collision and internal energies of the two colliding tetramers we explo re the possibility of forming the cubic structure isomers of the octamer. W e find that such events are favored under small collision energies and impa ct parameters with cold, low internal energy, tetramers. Large impact param eter collisions may lead to an orbiting pair of the two tetramers. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.