We study the structural dynamics of liquid water by time-resolved anisotropic x-ray scattering under the optical Kerr effect condition. In this way, we can separate the anisotropic scattering decay of 160 fs from the delayed temperature increase of similar to 0.1 K occurring at 1 ps and quantify transient changes in the O-O pair distribution function. Polarizable molecular dynamics simulations reproduce well the experiment, indicating transient alignment of molecules along the electric field, which shortens the nearest-neighbor distances. In addition, analysis of the simulated water local structure provides evidence that two hypothesized fluctuating water configurations exhibit different polarizability.

The isothermal compressibility and correlation length of supercooled water obtained from small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) were analyzed by fits based on an apparent power-law in the temperature range from 280 K down to the temperature of maximum compressibility at 229 K. Although the increase in thermodynamic response functions is not towards a critical point, it is still possible to obtain an apparent power law all the way to the maximum values with best-fit exponents of gamma = 0.40 +/- 0.01 for the isothermal compressibility and nu = 0.26 +/- 0.03 for the correlation length. The ratio between these exponents is close to a value of approximate to 0.5, as expected for a critical point, indicating the proximity of a potential second critical point. Comparison of gamma obtained from experiment with molecular dynamics simulations on the iAMOEBA water model shows that it would be located at pressures in the neighborhood of 1 kbar. The high value and sharpness of the compressibility maximum observed in the experiment are not reproduced by any of the existing classical water models, thus inviting further development of simulation models of water.

Here we report on the temperature dependence of the anomalous behaviour of water in terms of (i) its growth in tetrahedral structures, (ii) instantaneous spatial correlations from small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) data, (iii) estimates of thermodynamic response functions of isothermal compressibility and (iv) thermal expansion coefficient. Water's thermal expansion coefficient is estimated for the first time at supercooled conditions from liquid water's structure factor. We used previously published data from classical force-fields of TIP4P/2005 and iAMOEBA to compare experimental data with molecular dynamics simulations and observe that these force-fields underestimate water's anomalous behaviour but perform better upon increasing pressure. We demonstrate that the molecular dynamics simulations can describe better the temperature dependent anomalous behaviour of ambient pressure water if simulated at 1 kbar. The deviation in anomalous fluctuations in the simulations is not restricted to approximate to 228 K but extends all the way to ambient temperatures.

Here we report about the structural evolution during the conversion from high-density amorphous ices at ambient pressure to the low-density state. Using high-energy X-ray diffraction, we have monitored the transformation by following in reciprocal space the structure factor SOO(Q) and derived in real space the pair distribution function gOO(r). Heating equilibrated high-density amorphous ice (eHDA) at a fast rate (4Kmin-1), the transition to the low-density form occurs very rapidly, while domains of both high-and low-density coexist. On the other hand, the transition in the case of unannealed HDA (uHDA) and very-high-density amorphous ice is more complex and of continuous nature. The direct comparison of eHDA and uHDA indicates that the molecular structure of uHDA contains a larger amount of tetrahedral motives. The different crystallization behaviour of the derived low-density amorphous states is interpreted as emanating from increased tetrahedral coordination present in uHDA. This article is part of the theme issue 'The physics and chemistry of ice: scaffolding across scales, from the viability of life to the formation of planets'.

The dynamics of liquid water feature a variety of time scales, ranging from extremely fast ballistic-like thermal motion, to slower molecular diffusion and hydrogen-bond rearrangements. Here, we utilize coherent X-ray pulses to investigate the sub-100 fs equilibrium dynamics of water from ambient conditions down to supercooled temperatures. This novel approach utilizes the inherent capability of X-ray speckle visibility spectroscopy to measure equilibrium intermolecular dynamics with lengthscale selectivity, by measuring oxygen motion in momentum space. The observed decay of the speckle contrast at the first diffraction peak, which reflects tetrahedral coordination, is attributed to motion on a molecular scale within the first 120 fs. Through comparison with molecular dynamics simulations, we conclude that the slowing down upon cooling from 328 K down to 253 K is not due to simple thermal ballistic-like motion, but that cage effects play an important role even on timescales over 25 fs due to hydrogen-bonding.

Photolysis of iodoform (CHI3) in solution has been extensively studied, but its reaction mechanism remains elusive. In particular, iso-iodoform (iso-CHI2-I) is formed as a product of the photolysis reaction, but its detailed structure is not known, and whether it is a major intermediate species has been controversial. Here, by using time-resolved X-ray liquidography, we determined the reaction mechanism of CHI3 photodissociation in cyclohexane as well as the structure of iso-CHI2-I. Both iso-CHI2-I and CHI2 radical were found to be formed within 100 ps with a branching ratio of 40:60. Iodine radicals (I), formed during the course of CHI3 photolysis, recombine nongeminately with either CHI2 or I. Based on our structural analysis, the I-I distance and the C-I-I angle of iso-CHI2-I were determined to be 2.922 +/- 0.004 angstrom and 133.9 +/- 0.8 degrees, respectively.

Caupin et al have raised several issues regarding our recent paper on maxima in thermodynamic response and correlation functions in deeply supercooled water. We show that these issues can be addressed without affecting the conclusion of the paper.

The structure factor and oxygen-oxygen pair distribution functions of amorphous ices at liquid nitrogen temperature (T = 77 K) have been derived from wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) up to interatomic distances of r = 23 angstrom, where local structure differences between the amorphous ices can be seen for the entire range. The distances to the first coordination shell for low-, high-, and very-high-density amorphous ice (LDA, HDA, VHDA) were determined to be 2.75, 2.78, and 2.80 angstrom, respectively, with high accuracy due to measurements up to a large momentum transfer of 23 angstrom(-1). Similarities in pair-distribution functions between LDA and supercooled water at 254.1 K, HDA and liquid water at 365.9 K, and VHDA and high-pressure liquid water were found up to around 8 angstrom, but beyond that at longer distances, the similarities were lost. In addition, the structure of the high-density amorphous ices was compared to high-pressure crystalline ices IV, IX, and XII, and conclusions were drawn about the local ordering.

Femtosecond x-ray laser pulses were used to probe micrometer-sized water droplets that were cooled down to 227 kelvin in vacuum. Isothermal compressibility and correlation length were extracted from x-ray scattering at the low-momentum transfer region. The temperature dependence of these thermodynamic response and correlation functions shows maxima at 229 kelvin for water and 233 kelvin for heavy water. In addition, we observed that the liquids undergo the fastest growth of tetrahedral structures at similar temperatures. These observations point to the existence of a Widom line, defined as the locus of maximum correlation length emanating from a critical point at positive pressures in the deeply supercooled regime. The difference in the maximum value of the isothermal compressibility between the two isotopes shows the importance of nuclear quantum effects.

Nuclear quantum effects (NQEs) have a significant influence on the hydrogen bonds in water and aqueous solutions and have thus been the topic of extensive studies. However, the microscopic origin and the corresponding temperature dependence of NQEs have been elusive and still remain the subject of ongoing discussion. Previous x-ray scattering investigations indicate that NQEs on the structure of water exhibit significant temperature dependence [Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 047801 (2005)]. Here, by performing wide-angle x-ray scattering of H2O and D2O droplets at temperatures from 275 K down to 240 K, we determine the temperature dependence of NQEs on the structure of water down to the deeply supercooled regime. The data reveal that the magnitude of NQEs on the structure of water is temperature independent, as the structure factor of D2O is similar to H2O if the temperature is shifted by a constant 5 K, valid from ambient conditions to the deeply supercooled regime. Analysis of the accelerated growth of tetrahedral structures in supercooled H2O and D2O also shows similar behavior with a clear 5 K shift. The results indicate a constant compensation between NQEs delocalizing the proton in the librational motion away from the bond and in the OH stretch vibrational modes along the bond. This is consistent with the fact that only the vibrational ground state is populated at ambient and supercooled conditions.